Inspiration strikes: some words of wisdom on GCSE results day

As successes mingle with disappointments as thousands of young people get their grades today, these motivational quotes are worth a read

Joe Tindall lifts fellow student Halil Beydilli in celebration at great results. (Getty Images)

As thousands of young people tear open the envelopes containing their GCSE results today there will be many successes, but plenty of disappointments too. With headlines announcing a major drop in the pass rate this year, here are a few inspirational words of wisdom to remind you that if you want something badly enough, disappointing grades needn’t stop you achieving your goals.

"Success is doing what you plan to do whatever the results." (John Watson)

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly" (Robert F Kennedy, American politician)

“If you want something in life, reach out and grab it.” (Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild)

“To achieve great things you have first to believe it.” (Arsene Wenger, football manager)

"One's best success comes after their greatest disappointments." (Henry Ward Beecher, abolitionist)

“If I could wish for my life to be perfect, it would be tempting, but I would have to decline, for life would no longer teach me anything.” (Allyson Jones, author)

Students at the Ridings' Federation Winterbourne International Academy review their results in Bristol. (Getty Images)

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.” (Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur)

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” (Goethe)

“Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more. They did all that was expected of them and a little bit more.” (A. Lou Vickery, author)

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs - ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." (Harold Thurman Whitman, philosopher and theologian)

Two girls share their joy after opening their results. (Getty Images)

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” (Walt Disney)

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” (Colin Powell, retired American general)

“Failure is an event, not a person. Yesterday ended last night.” (Zig Ziglar, author)

“Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because you've grown all you are going to grow, but I'm still growing!” (Edmund Hillary, the year before he conquered Everest)

Hugs all round for friends celebrating their results. (Getty Images)

“With ordinary talents and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.” (Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, social reformer)

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” (Steve Jobs, founder of Apple)

“A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” (Bob Dylan, musician)

“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” (Robert Louis Stephenson, writer)

"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” (Winston Churchill, British prime minister)

One student is evidently happy with his results. (Getty Images)

Then there’s Baz Luhrmann’s sage advice in his 1999 single ‘Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen)’...

“Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and in the end, it’s only with yourself.”