10 Sheryl Sandberg Quotes to Motivate and Inspire You There's a lot to learn from the Facebook executive, author and activist.

By Rose Leadem

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Marla Aufmuth | Getty Images
COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg.

Life throws you curve balls, and to move on, it's important to learn and grow from them. When Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg lost her husband David Goldberg in 2015, although devastated, Sandberg opened up to the world about her loss. Through hardship and grief, she discovered strength and resilience, which she's shared with the rest of us.

Related: These 11 Steve Jobs Quotes Will Motivate You to Change the World

As a female leader in tech, Sandberg has positioned herself as a voice for women in the industry -- and beyond. With her book, Lean In, and her organization, Leanin.org, Sandberg seeks to empower women around the world and to help them be their best selves. There's much to be learned from this bestselling author, activist and thought leader.

Check out these inspirational quotes from the Facebook exec.

On growth

"It is the hard days -- the times that challenge you to your very core -- that will determine who you are." -- Sheryl Sandberg

On challenge

"I learned that, in the face of a void or in the face of any challenge, you can choose joy and meaning." -- Sheryl Sandberg

On success

"You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive." -- Sheryl Sandberg

On happiness

"Because no matter what happens each day, I go to bed thinking of something cheerful. Try it." -- Sheryl Sandberg

Related: 12 Quotes From Google's Larry Page on Drive, Success, Creativity and Hard Work

On failure

"When life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, find the surface and breathe again." -- Sheryl Sandberg

On resilience

"You are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. Like a muscle, you can build it up draw on it when you need it." -- Sheryl Sandberg

On leadership

"The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have." -- Sheryl Sandberg

On opportunity

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

Related: 10 Albert Einstein Quotes on Creativity, Happiness, Success and More

On mindset

"Trying to do it all and expecting it all can be done exactly right is a recipe for disappointment. Perfection is the enemy." -- Sheryl Sandberg

On motivation

"Sharing emotions builds deeper relationships. Motivation comes from working on things we care about." -- Sheryl Sandberg

Rose Leadem is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com. 

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

Editor's Pick

Business News

JPMorgan Shuts Down Internal Message Board Comments After Employees React to Return-to-Office Mandate

Employees were given the option to leave comments about the RTO mandate with their first and last names on display — and they did not hold back.

Business News

Zillow Predicts These 10 Places Will Have the Hottest Housing Markets in 2025

Zillow predicted that the hottest housing market of 2025 will be Buffalo, New York. Here's why.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

'Masculine Energy Is Good': Mark Zuckerberg Tells Joe Rogan He Thinks Companies Need More Aggression

On the most recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said corporate culture has become "neutered."

Business News

'More Soul-Crushing Than Ever': Popular Hiring Platform Finds Around 20% of Its Postings Were 'Ghost Jobs'

Is that job listing too good to be true? There's a one-in-five chance that it might be.