7 Inspirational Dumbledore Quotes from Harry Potter

Most of my favourite quotes can be found within the pages of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter. There are so many little pearls of wisdom hidden within these pages, many of which are great pick-me-ups for when you’re feeling a bit demotivated or down in the dumps.

It makes sense that many of these quotes come from one of the best Harry Potter characters. Of course I am referring to the greatest wizard of all time himself, Albus Dumbledore.

As he said himself, “I’ve always prized myself on my ability to turn a phrase. Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.”

So without further ado, here are the 7 best Dumbledore quotes to motivate you when you feel uninspired.

“It is important to fight and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then can evil be kept at bay though never quite eradicated.”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Now was Dumbledore talking about Voldemort… or mental health problems?

Sometimes it can feel like life is a never-ending barrage of hardships but if you push back against them you can keep yourself afloat.

This famous quote seems most apt for those fighting depression and I like that it doesn’t give the false impression that something like that can ever truly be eradicated.

Most people will carry the demons from their past around forever, but you shouldn’t let that overwhelm you.  

“You fail to recognise that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

There is always room for growth and you can always change the path you’re on. If you’re dissatisfied with your lot in life, think about what you need to do to grow into the person you want to be.

Remember that Harry Potter grew up in a cupboard under the stairs so you’ve already got a head start!

“We must try not to sink beneath our anguish . . . but battle on.”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Life is hard sometimes (most of the time), but the best way to get over a major blow is to pick yourself up and carry on.

It’s difficult, and you may need some help, but as clichéd as it is, time is the best healer and you need to keep trudging forwards.

If you do something every day to help you grow and move forwards, you’ll continue to flourish. It doesn’t matter how small these steps are as long as you take that step.

“Let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Pottermore recently created a number of gorgeous Harry Potter related posters with various different quotes on them.

I managed to snag this Dumbledore quote poster at a Pottermore quiz event a few months ago and now it has pride of place on my bedroom wall.

It always reminds me to pursue new adventures and opportunities.

Unfortunately, shortly after this Albus Dumbledore quote left his lips, he was murdered. But the fear of the future can’t stop you from living in the present! 

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This reminds me a little of the Japanese concept of ikigai. It’s about finding your purpose in life and how the small choices you make on a daily existence make you who you are, no matter how successful you are.

You might be absolutely brilliant in your field of work but if you didn’t get there with your integrity intact then you have perhaps been making the wrong choices. Are you satisfied that your daily actions reflect who you want to be?

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Now I think having dreams and an active imagination is so, so important but getting stuck in the land of make-believe doesn’t do you any good either.

At some point, you need to stop dreaming and start doing. More inspiration can be found in The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k by Sarah Knight.

It’s all well and good making plans for the future and dreaming about what you could achieve but if this isn’t swiftly followed by actionable steps to get there, no matter how small, that that dream is never going to be achieved.

And lastly, my favourite Dumbledore quote, indeed, my favourite quote of all time:

“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

This Dumbledore quote is a powerful reminder that there is always good, even when everything seems bleak. Whatever light there is to be found in your life, hold onto it. That spark might just turn into a flame!

Dumbledore utters these words in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is the best book in the entire series. Want to find out why? Read this post about why Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the best. 

What’s your favourite Albus Dumbledore quote? Now, I hope you’re ready to take Monday by the horns because we got this.

A healthy dose of Monday Motivation from Albus Dumbledore is a great way to start the day! 

Want more Potter posts? Have a look at these!
Harry Potter Filming Locations in Oxford 
Hogwarts in the Snow at WB Tour London
Warners Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour Review 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Premiere 
Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Pin now, read again later! 

Laura

Editor of What’s Hot?

Laura is an award-winning travel and book blogger based in the UK. She studied French literature at Oxford University and is now an IP lawyer at a top law firm in London. She was named UK Book Blogger of the Year in 2019 and loves to combine her passion for books and travel with literary travel.