Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

13 Quotes from Today's Most Successful Leaders on Opportunity and Getting Started Spotting an opportunity and acting on it is no easy task. Here's some motivation to help you.

By Rose Leadem

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin | Getty Images

Whether it be entering the world of entrepreneurship, vying for a new position at a company or planning the next chapter in life, taking leaps is never easy. And it takes courage, perseverance and often, risk. However, it all starts with spotting the right opportunity and getting started.

Related: 10 Thought-Provoking Quotes From the One-of-a-Kind Artist Andy Warhol

While that can be easier said than done, every successful leader has experienced this moment at some point in his or her life. And the most important thing anyone can do is be prepared for new opportunities -- or make opportunities work for them. You never know when a new one will present itself, so you've got to be willing and able to act in the moment and get started.

No matter where you are in life, check out these 13 quotes on opportunity and getting started.

Sheryl Sandberg

"You hav to take opportunities and make an opportunity fit for you, rather than the other way around." -- Sheryl Sandberg

Larry Page

"It is often easier to make progress on mega-ambitious dreams. Since no one else is crazy enough to do it, you have little competition." -- Larry Page

Related: 12 Quotes on Failure From Super Successful Leaders Like Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban and More

Mark Zuckerberg

"Building a mission and building a business go hand-in-hand." -- Mark Zuckerberg

Thomas Edison

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." -- Thomas Edison

Elon Musk

"The first step is to establish that something is possible; then probability will occur." -- Elon Musk

Related: 11 Powerful Quotes to Make You More Successful From Billionaire Entrepreneur Richard Branson

Martha Stewart

"Once you realize that you have identified a passion, invest in yourself. Figure out what you need to know, what kind of experience and expertise you need to develop to do the things that you feel in your heart you will enjoy and that will sustain you both mentally and economically..." -- Martha Stewart

Coco Chanel

"Dress like you are going to meet your worst enemy today." -- Coco Chanel

Steve Jobs

"You have to trust in something; your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever, because believing that the dots will connect down the road, will give you the confidence to follow your heart." -- Steve Jobs

Richard Branson

"Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming." -- Richard Branson

Related: 10 Inspiring Quotes From Billionaire Entrepreneur and Shark Tank Star Mark Cuban

Albert Einstein

"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then, you have to play it better than anyone else." -- Albert Einstein

Jeff Bezos

"In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story." -- Jeff Bezos

Donald Trump

"Watch, listen and learn. You can't know it all yourself. Anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity." -- Donald Trump

Related: 12 Quotes on Motivation from Today's Thought Leaders

Barbara Corcoran

"Finding an opportunity is a matter of believing it's there." -- Barbara Corcoran

Rose Leadem is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Leadership

How to Create a Workplace Culture That Supports Digital Transformation (and Why It's Important)

Technology and culture change go hand in hand — pay attention to both!

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Business News

A Wells Fargo Worker Was Discovered 4 Days After Dying at Her Desk. Her Cause of Death Was Just Revealed.

Medical examiners have released the cause of death of Denise Prudhomme, who was found dead at her desk in Wells Fargo's Tempe, Ariz. office.

Business News

Meta Fires Employee Making $400,000 Per Year Over a $25 Meal Voucher Issue

Other staff members were fired for the same reason, per a new report.

Business News

A Carpenter of 56 Years Is Retiring After He Found $20 on Ground and Turned It Into a $1 Million Lottery Win

The winner, Jerry Hicks, told the North Carolina lottery that the gas station was out of the tickets he usually buys.

Leadership

5 Ways to Get Real Freedom as a Business Owner (Without Surrendering Control)

Use these five strategies to attain true freedom and shift your focus from daily operations to long-term business growth and personal time.