January 24, 2026

"If you fuel your journey on the opinions of others, you are going to run out of gas."

Steve Maraboli
Did you find this inspiring?
Inspirational quote by Steve Maraboli

Explanation

This quote is a reminder that other people’s opinions make terrible gasoline. If you live for approval, praise, or likes, you’ll feel powerful only when they’re flowing and completely empty the moment they stop. Think about times you’ve changed your clothes, your career plans, or even your personality because you worried what someone might think. It’s exhausting, isn’t it?

Maraboli is saying your real “fuel” has to come from inside: your values, curiosities, and what feels genuinely right for you. Feedback from others can be useful, but it can’t be your main energy source. When your motivation comes from self-respect and a sense of purpose, you don’t stall every time someone doubts you, you just keep going.

About the Author

Steve Maraboli (born April 18, 1975) is an American author, behavioral scientist, and speaker known for blending psychology, life coaching, and practical wisdom into highly shareable, motivational quotes. Raised in a working class Long Island family and a U.S. military veteran, he went on to become a consultant to businesses, athletes, and organizations, and founded A Better Today, Inc., focusing on human potential and performance. He’s best known for books like Life, the Truth, and Being Free and Unapologetically You, as well as his massively circulated social media quotes on self worth and personal freedom. His emphasis on inner validation over external approval captured in this quote about “fueling your journey” with others’ opinions, reflects both his psychological training and his own experience of carving an unconventional path beyond society’s expectations.