The Virtue of Encouraging People

Encouraging others isn’t about having the perfect words. It’s about choosing to lift people up when they doubt themselves, to believe in them when they don’t, and to speak light into dark moments. Encouragement costs nothing—but it creates energy, confidence, and resilience in others. People don’t forget who gave them hope. Encouragement is one of the most powerful forces for good, and those who practice it quietly help build others’ futures.

A True Story: The Teacher Who Saved a Life

In 1992, a young student named James Harrison was struggling in high school. Depressed, withdrawn, and ready to drop out, he had given up. One teacher, Mrs. Salinas, noticed. She took him aside, told him he was gifted, and said, “You have something in you. Don’t waste it.” That small moment of encouragement changed everything. James stayed in school. He went on to become a beloved teacher himself, and later said, “Her words saved my life.” Encouragement can do that—it can reroute someone’s future.

Three Quotes from Books About Encouragement

In Daring Greatly (2012), Brené Brown wrote:

Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up and let yourself be seen—and sometimes we need someone else to remind us that we can.

~ Brené Brown

In The War of Art (2002), Steven Pressfield said:

Resistance will tell you you’re not good enough. But when one person believes in you, it’s like a hand reaching into your soul and pulling you toward your destiny.

~ Steven Pressfield

In Start With Why (2009), Simon Sinek explained:

Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge—especially by believing in them when they hesitate.

~ Simon Sinek

Five More Quotes That Reveal the Power of Encouragement

In 2006, Maya Angelou reflected:

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said… but people will never forget how you made them feel. And when someone feels seen, they remember it forever.

~ Maya Angelou

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. declared:

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. And when someone encourages you to step, that faith spreads.

~ Martin Luther King Jr.

In Tuesdays with Morrie (1997), Mitch Albom remembered his mentor’s words:

The most important thing in life is to give out love and to let it come in—and sometimes love is just telling someone, ‘I believe in you.’

~ Mitch Albom

In 2018, Michelle Obama said:

When I was little, someone told me I was smart. That small sentence shaped how I saw myself. Say something good to someone. It might shape their life.

~ Michelle Obama

In The Art of Possibility (2000), Rosamund Stone Zander wrote:

You can light up someone’s path with a single sentence of belief. Most people have no idea how bright their words could be.

~ Rosamund Stone Zander

Life Lesson:

You never know who’s silently hanging by a thread. You never know who’s questioning their worth or waiting for a sign. A single sentence—You can do this, I believe in you, You matter—can lift someone out of fear and into belief. Encouragement isn’t just kindness—it’s a kind of quiet power. And the more you give it, the more the world transforms around you. Be the one who notices. Be the one who speaks. Be the reason someone keeps going.