112 Best Comeback Quotes [with Audio + Explanations]

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2025 @ 1:22 pm

This article has the best comeback quotes, with explanations and graphics you can save, share on social media, and tweet about.

Life is a struggle where only the toughest survive. This thought often comes to me when I feel defeated by something or feel like giving up.

Throughout my life, I have seen my fair share of setbacks.

In those difficult moments, the one factor that has helped me sustain myself has been the inspirational comeback stories of famous people.

There is something grand and heroic about a comeback. It instils confidence in you to overcome obstacles.

Knowing that other humans in the past overcame massive setbacks and still rose to heights of success, it fills you with hope.

We need hope to persevere and go on with life.

Driven by this desire to create hope and self-belief in my own life, I delved deep into biographies.

With time, I read 100s of biographies of famous people, including world leaders, athletes, artists, and more. My particular interest lay in personalities who lost a lot in life and still managed to stage a comeback.

It made me realize that greatness is possible even after devastation and loss. In fact, some people thrive from it.

One common theme I found in all the comeback stories was persistence. If you have courage coupled with an iron will and are persistent about your goal, no matter how many times you fall, you will still rise.

These biographies and quotes have sailed me through countless pitfalls in life.

So, I thought – why not share it with the readers of The Starting Idea?

I went on a deep dive and started searching for the best quotes of the personalities that have influenced me the most. I have also added a deeper explanation for each quote and how you can internalize it.

This article has quotes by people who charted historic comebacks, such as Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Muhammad Ali, World War 2 heroes, medieval generals, ancient philosophers, and more.

In addition, I have also added a voice playback for the entire article, so you can listen to it as affirmations to inspire you, while you are on the go, or doing some heavy-duty task.

The article is fine-tuned and written in a way that once you go through it, you will be poised to not only internalize the virtues of a comeback but also take action.

112 best comeback quotes for instant motivation

1. Comeback Quotes to Motivate You from Setbacks

1) “Nothing is cooler and more attractive than a big comeback, and that’ll be me.” — Steven Adler. 

Explanation: There is something romantic and grand about a comeback that no other feeling can match. It makes your life worth living and your goals worth living for. I have some personal goals in my life, and they govern every part of me, being my North Star.

2) “There is nothing as sweet as a comeback, when you are down and out, about to lose, and out of time.” — Anne Lamott

3) “To have a comeback, you have to have a setback.” — Mr. T 

Explanation: People often take preventive measures and are overcautious to avoid a setback. But do they realize that setbacks are the first act to a 3 part story of setback, struggle, and comeback.

A comeback is colored as a comeback only coz of a great setback. That’s what makes a comeback so glorious and romantic.

4) “Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.” – Roy Bennett

Explanation: Life is a series of tests, and these tests can be a showcase of your courage and will in your darkest hours.

I’ll tell you a very personal story that I rarely talk about but this quote compels me to share with you. Back in late 2015, I suffered from chemical poisoning due to a pest control mitigation accident, which exposed me to propoxur poisoning.

It was a bed bug pest control activity. A majority of the chemicals were sprayed on my bed drawers and other parts (people who do not know what a bed bug infestation looks like, I hope it stays the same for you, you do not want to experience this nightmare fueled with bed bugs hiding everywhere, and coming out at night, biting you, making your entire body burn with itches, and not letting you sleep).

This chemical was sprayed on my bed drawers, and other essential spaces, and the old house I lived in lacked proper ventilation, making me very sick and not able to do much.

In those times, while I single-handedly tried cleaning my home, vacuuming, and packing my stuff in sealed bags, while being drained of every energy, I remembered the fighting spirit of World War 2 soldiers, who fought against insurmountable odds and won the war in the face of certain defeat.

I remembered my grandpa’s World War 2 contribution to the Arakan offensive in Burma. I remembered the Dunkirk evacuation.

I took inspiration from the Battle of Britain, where Winston Churchill famously said it was their finest hour.

I remembered how Stalingrad was the turning point in the darkest hour. I remembered these moments of fighting spirit, human courage, winning against all odds for humanity, in humanity’s darkest hours.

This made me go on. This quote really took me back to those days.

The darkest hour is the perfect setting for the tough to get going and make their finest hour. It is not for everyone, but some specially molded humans seek this darkest hour. So be brave, and face it and take your glory.

5) “Take your time, recharge, and come back stronger.” – Anonymous

Explanation: Sometimes all that is between giving up and success is taking a break to recharge, re-plan, re-access, and strike back, and that’s what makes a powerful comeback.

6) “A setback is a setup for a comeback.”  – Willie Jolley

Explanation: I love the play of words on this one. This quote can rewire your mind into how you see a setback. It’s not the end of the world, but a setup for you to relaunch yourself.

7) “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling

Explanation: This quote is about experiencing the feeling of rock bottom and taking that rock bottom event as a positive effect rather than a negative one by giving it the metaphor of a solid foundation.

Once you hit rock bottom, you have nothing to lose. That rock bottom becomes your solid foundation to build your life.

8) “Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead.” – Les Brown

Explanation: This quote is about grit. The one who has the strongest grit survives. Every single time there is a setback, it’s time to detach emotionally and focus on fighting back with a bulldog spirit.

9) “You can never have the comeback if you don’t have the retirement.”  – Chael Sonnen

Explanation: To make a dramatic comeback, you have to fail. This quote highlights failure as something we run away from, but in reality, it is unavoidable.

It asks us to look at the brighter side of failure, that is, when you fail, you have the chance to make that heroic comeback.

10) “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” – Margaret Thatcher

Explanation: Margaret Thatcher can be a very divisive figure, but one thing we all may agree on is her dogged personality.

This quote elaborates on that dogged attitude by talking about how making a comeback is not about a single battle but many sequential and simultaneous battles leading you to your goal.

11) “A comeback is not a go back.” – Tim Storey

Explanation: This quote essentially means that a comeback permanently changes you. After the comeback process, you will no longer remain your old, fragile self.

You will become strong and iron-willed coz you experienced the struggle and grind to rise again.

So, once you go on that path, there is no turning back to being the old you; it’s a new you who wins in life.

12) “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb

Explanation: This proverb elucidates the idea of not giving up and keep coming back. It does not matter how many times you fall; you cannot lose if you keep making a comeback. That’s why comebacks are important.

13) “You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” – Ed Cole

Explanation: This quote goes to all the people who give up after failure. You only lose if you give up after you fall and do not attempt to fight back. But if you imbibe a resilient spirit, you can fight back from any adversity and make your comeback.

14) “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

15) “Remember that guy that gave up? Neither does no one else.” – Unknown

Explanation: This quote should be a telling reminder every time you feel like giving up on your comeback journey. Basically, we have 2 choices: Give up or make a comeback.

We need to evaluate and see what is the ROI of each. If we give up, it means we lose all hope and also no one remembers us. On the other hand, if we choose to fight on and make a comeback, it instils hope and faith and makes us live for a greater goal that would inspire others to not give up.

16) “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller

Explanation: This quote is about accepting strategic losses in your life journey to go for something bigger. When you have a setback, think of it as a lesson or a strategic loss that you can use in your comeback plan.

17) “Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.” – Napoleon Hill

Explanation: This quote is all about pushing hard when the chips are down. Failure can be debilitating and make you lose your morale.

It’s important not to lose your will at this time. If we do not lose our faith and will and continue to push forward, our comeback becomes more of a reality.

18) “A challenge only becomes an obstacle when you bow to it.” – Ray Davis

Explanation: This quote follows the theme: If you give in, you give up. If you do not give in to challenges, you will surely overcome them and be resurgent, moving forward.

19) “Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.” – Marilyn vos Savant

Explanation: One more quote about how to not take defeat as permanent, but to take it as the instant cue for making a comeback. After all, you are only defeated if you give up, as giving up means you quit all hopes of a comeback. But a fighter never quits.

20) “The art of comeback is patience.” – Anonymous

Explanation: Patience is a vital component of a successful comeback. Comebacks do not happen overnight. You cannot press a button to make it happen. It takes hardcore discipline, consistency, and patience to rebuild yourself from the ground up.

21) “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” – Oprah Winfrey

Explanation: To make a dramatic comeback, you have to fail. This quote highlights failure as something we run away from, but in reality, it is unavoidable.

It asks us to look at the brighter side of failure, that is, when you fail, you have the chance to make that heroic comeback.

22)  “I am facing a challenge, I am not facing defeat. Remember this.”  – Nikki Rowe

Explanation: This is such a meaningful quote to completely change your outlook on defeat. If you do not see defeat as permanent and only a challenge, nothing can stop you from making a comeback.

2. Comeback Quotes to Never Lose Hope and Faith

23) “Never quit believing that you can develop in life. Never give up. Don’t deny the inward spirit that provides the drive to accomplish great things in life.” — Jon Huntsman, Sr.

Explanation: This quote is about self-belief under adversity. In the end, if you have a strong will to win and refuse to give up, then there is nothing in the world that can stop you from making a comeback.

24) “It’s been a long comeback. Things were pretty dark for me. But I have a faith now, and it saves my day.” — William Hurt 

25) “Never lose hope. Storms make people stronger and never last forever.” – Roy T. Bennett

Explanation: I completely agree with this. Struggle storms are like that movement of the brush which carves the perfect painting.

They are there to train you and acclamatize you for harsh conditions and adverse situations. This way, you are more fine-tuned to come back stronger.

26) “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” – Carl Jung

Explanation:  When you have lost or suffered a setback in your comeback journey, you might internalize it and let it weigh you down.

Instead of focusing on what happened to you and internalizing it as your failure, you need to rewire your mind to think about what you will do with this failure.

Will you let it weigh you down, or use it to hone your skills and sculpt a new you?

27) “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus

Explanation: This is the perfect quote to repeat to yourself in times of despair. This quote elucidates hope during times of struggle.

28) “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl

Explanation: This is more of an epiphany than a quote. Your comeback is not possible if you stay the same version of yourself. The situation won’t change with the old you.

It would only lead to another failure. For real change to occur, you need to change yourself. That’s when success will follow through.

29) “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill

Explanation: The comeback trail can be hard and full of adversity. Use this quote by Winston Churchill to go through it. 

30) “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Explanation: Doubt kills hope. No hope can survive when riddled with doubts. If you want to come back stronger for a better tomorrow, you have to completely eliminate doubt from your mind.

31) “No matter how much it hurts now, someday you will look back and realize your struggles changed your life for the better.” – Anonymous

Explanation: This is more of a mantra you can repeatedly tell yourself in your comeback journey.

Yes, you have fallen now, but remember this struggle is the need of the hour to sculpt the best version of you, the new you, which will skyrocket you to your success.

32) No matter how hard it is or how hard it gets, I’m going to make it.” – Les Brown

Explanation: This is an affirmation that you need to say to yourself during hard times.

You need to remember that no matter how hard the situation gets, you will make your comeback. This affirmation will soon manifest into an intention and a focused approach to doing things right.

33) “Comebacks don’t seem likely when your back is up against the wall and your hope is depleted. But if you will stay the course, you will discover God’s power to reverse the irreversible in your life.” — Tony Evans

Explanation: This quote talks about the manifestation of a higher power in helping you when you do not give up against all odds. I have experienced this myself. If you are willful and never lose hope, no matter how much your back is against the wall, somehow or the other, things will work out for you, eventually. After all, God blesses his bravest.

Even if you think about it scientifically, think of the energy you express against the odds. If you do not buckle down in front of your adversities and keep going for your goal, your mind will be trained in handling pressure.

You will be able to navigate these problems successfully and also find hidden opportunities.

This power to do so itself is the power of God in our lives. Never lose hope.

3. Comeback Quotes to Overcome Failures

34) “The truth is, you don’t learn much from winning, but losing can make you a lot stronger.”― Drew Brees

Explanation: We all love to win, but winning does not expose the hidden flaws in you as much as losing does.

Losing opens up the flaws and helps you recognize the errors in your strategy. Every time you lose, you open up an opportunity to get a degree in the university of life.

This is because, as you lose, you have an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and build muscle memory of the corrective steps to win next time.

35) “Great people make failure the cornerstone of their success.” – Anonymous

36) “I’ve learned that something constructive comes from every defeat.” – Tom Landry

Explanation: True. Every failure teaches you priceless lessons that can pale any book in comparison. Every time you fail, you get a practical experience of what worked and what did not.

This first-hand experience is far more internalized than any literature or learning resources. This failure can be a stepping stone to success.

37) “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy

Explanation: This quote is about accepting strategic losses in your life journey to go for something bigger. When you have a setback, think of it as a lesson or a strategic loss that you can use in your comeback plan.

38) “A setback is never a bad experience, just another one of life’s lessons.” – Richard Branson

Explanation: This quote can be used by you to see every failure positively while you are on your comeback trail. One should see every failure or fall as a practical life lesson on what not to do.

When you keep a note of what went wrong, study and analyze it, you will be able to avoid that mistake in future and increase your chances of winning.

39) “There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” – Brene Brown

Explanation: This quote can keep you inspired when you fail, as it shows the positive outcomes of a great failure.

When you fail, you might see it as a loss, but how about you see the positive byproducts of failure?

You get to be more creative and innovative in order to avoid the path you failed before. This is a great inspirational quote to focus on to rally up your comeback journey.

40) “It’s not the mistake that matters, it’s how you interpret the lesson.” – Michelle Obama

Explanation: This quote can help you with your comeback story by making you see that comebacks are all about lessons taken from failures and how you use them to propel yourself. 

41) “It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” – Bill Gates

Explanation: This quote is so true. We focus on successes so much that we forget to pay attention to our failures. Failures are great gifts you can use as lessons to analyze your strategy and make course corrections. This will make a decisive difference in your comeback.

42) “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” – Napoleon Hill

Explanation:  Oh! The comeback quotes keep getting better and better. Your fall and the start of your comeback will be met by extreme adversity, repeated failures, and heartbreaks.

You might have light bulb moments, only for them to reach dead ends. But instead of giving up, use these failures, heartbreaks, and adversity as fuel to rally you forward.

Think of them as lessons and course corrections that lay the seed of a huge benefit coming your way.

43) “Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” – James Joyce

Explanation:Mistakes are often seen as grossly negative. This quote, on the other hand, makes you think otherwise.

It is like an epiphany that establishes mistakes as a seed for rewiring of the brain which can ultimately help us explore better avenues. This mentality helps us make stronger comebacks with a renewed outlook.

44) “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

Explanation: This quote shows that failure is not the end of the road as it is made out to be.

Henry Ford failed the first two times he attempted to start a motor company.

What if he had stopped there? There would be no Ford Motor Company today.

In the same way, we need to think of failures as another fresh start, and with the added intelligence of what works and what does not.

45) “Every exit is an entry somewhere else.” – Tom Stoppard

46) “Success is how high you bounce back after you hit bottom.”– General George Patton

Explanation: I love quotes from General Patton. This quote talks about judging the true nature of man and the character he displays when he hits rock bottom.

It’s about how a man treats his failures when he has lost everything. Does he fold and quit, or decides to fight back and win? Comebacks are only possible for people with strong characters and a fighting spirit.

4. Comeback Quotes About Persistence and Willpower

47) “I’m like a ‘comeback kid’ – you can’t keep me down for long!” — Nicola Adams 

Explanation: That’s the attitude to go for; instead of treating a comeback like a herculean and hard-to-achieve phenomenon, your identity should correlate with comebacks. This way, it will become second nature for you to make comebacks.

48) “A career is a series of ups and downs, of comebacks.” — Steve Guttenberg

49) “I had to develop the mentality and stay positive about making my comeback.” — Alonzo Mourning 

Explanation: This quote is about having a positive mindset. This positive mindset and belief system is the nurturing ground for a comeback. Isn’t comeback all about believing and putting that belief into action with an iron will to succeed?

50) “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up.” – Michael Jordan

Explanation: This quote is about meeting dead ends in your comeback journey. You might think this is the end of the road, but in reality, it is just a wrong turn. 

Instead of turning around and giving up, just hit recalibrate, and choose the right road next time. The idea is not to give up.

51) “You don’t lose if you get knocked down; you lose if you stay down.” – Muhammad Ali

Explanation: Getting knocked down in life is absolutely normal. It’s an unavoidable reality in life and business. But it’s mainly about how you react to it. That is what matters.

If you stay down, you accept defeat. But if you plan your redemption and make a comeback, all the world’s glory is there for you.

52) “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vincent Lombardi

Explanation: This quote feels straight from the Rocky movies. It’s basically about getting right back up after getting knocked down.

Getting knocked down is unavoidable; that’s a truth of life.

What makes great people different from the ordinary is how they choose to react to this knockout punch. Only the great ones can get back up after getting knocked down.

53) “Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement.” – Matt Biondi

Explanation: This quote talks about consistency and how it can change and convert any of your failed endeavors into success.

When you consistently pursue something, you hone your skills and keep showing up when others are sporadic.

This makes you far more skilled and efficient with time. Think of the 10000-hour rule proposed by Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers”, which makes a person perfect in their craft. When you are persistent, you do great things.

54) “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” – Nelson Mandela

Explanation: Nelson Mandela is a symbol of resilience for the whole world. Who better to learn about resilience and charting triumphant comebacks than a man who was jailed for 27 years in Robben Island and eventually went on to rule his country? 

55) “Remember: Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.” – Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)

Explanation: Talking of Rocky, here’s a Rocky quote. This quote re-emphasizes that the path to winning lies in being defiant and not giving in to the option of losing.

56) “Inside of a ring or out, ain’t nothing wrong with going down. It’s staying down that’s wrong.” – Muhammad Ali

Explanation: This is an excellent quote from Muhammad Ali. The quote says it is ok to take a setback, but letting that setback weigh on you and giving up is the wrong approach to life.

57) Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Confucious

Explanation: Failure is the true test of your character. How you deal with failure shows the mettle you’re made of. So our greatest victory is not in never failing but in having the fighting spirit to rise up every time we fail.

58) “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

Explanation: This is a quote about the importance of persistence and consistency in your journey. These 2 qualities can help a lot with your comeback and make it simpler to execute.

59) “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” – Lance Armstrong

60) “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

Explanation: Isn’t this quote so true? Think of success with the gold mining analogy. You are digging and digging, but you see no sign of gold. 

Finally, you give up, oblivious and blinded to the fact that just one more strike of the shovel would have made you hit gold. You were so close to it, yet you would never know as you gave up. 

Think of your comeback struggle in the same way. You might feel frustrated and tired, but what if just one more try would give you the breakthrough you needed?

61) “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi

Explanation:  Comebacks are hard. That’s why willpower becomes a quintessential ingredient in scripting a comeback in your life. This quote elucidates that very well.

62) “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

Explanation: I love Maya Angelou’s poetry. This quote shows the resolve that Maya Angelou’s words invoke.

When you embark on a great goal, there will be many pitfalls and mistakes. During this time, we should not fold but rather keep coming back harder and with more will to succeed.

63) “You are never a loser until you quit trying.” – Mike Ditka

Explanation: This quote basically tells us to never give up. Yes, you might have lost now, but if you do not give up, you will return stronger.

64) “Comebacks are not about overcoming others, but something deep within you.” – Anonymous

Explanation: This quote is amazing as it urges you to rewire your mind.

Many people think of a comeback as overcoming external adversities but ignore the inner changes you need to make to persevere for a comeback. This quote is a great reminder of that.

65) “I never expect to lose. Even when I’m the underdog, I still prepare a victory speech.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Explanation: This quote will instil in you a strong sense of self-belief. This is exactly the kind of attitude you need in your comeback. Never expect defeat. In fact, work so hard that winning is a given, despite the odds against you.

66) “Champions keep playing until they get it right.”- Billie Jean King

Explanation: It is based on the theme of never giving up. No matter how off-track you are, if you keep playing the game, you create more chances, and chances turn into opportunities. Eventually, with experience, you will certainly win.

5. Comeback Quotes on Mindset and Attitude Shift

67) “Comebacks are not at all easy. After a major surgery, the difficult part is to conquer the inner demons. It’s all in the mind. Only an individual can overcome his fears.” — Rohit Sharma 

Explanation: I agree with Rohit. He is an Indian cricketer who has gone through several injuries. But what he says here is about separating the mind from the body, and making the act of comeback more about an inner mental game than a physical one. The body can heal, but the doubt of a return may still linger. So, comebacks are about conquering the inner demons of the mind.

68) “I have always been a very patient person… I wasn’t rushing anything as long as I knew I was on the right track.” — Tommy Fleetwood

69) “The greatest comeback is making a comeback to yourself.” – Anonymous

Explanation: This quote shows how a comeback is more of an internal revisit than an external force. When you focus on your core, go to your core values, ethos, and competency, you set yourself up for success.

70) “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” — Charles R. Swindoll

Explanation: Most of the power of what happens to us lies in our minds and how we respond to them.

If we break down in front of it, we lose any future possibilities to come back stronger.

On the other hand, if we take them as strong lessons to grow and become smarter, we persevere. Yes, this takes a lot of courage and effort, but we need to build this fortitude in us if we are serious about making a comeback in our lives.

71) “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” – Babe Ruth

Explanation: The great baseball player knows a thing or two but home runs, eh? This quote is basically about persistence and discipline.

If you keep going for it, your skills will be honed and set to get the big home run, which is your success.

72) “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford

Explanation: This quote should be memorized as a mantra for your comeback grind.

Sometimes in your journey, you’ll feel that everything is against you.

That is the time you should remember this physics-based quote: that aeroplanes take off against the wind, not with it. You need to use the adversity as fuel and go for it.

73) “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis

Explanation: I love this quote from C.S. Lewis, the writer behind The Chronicles of Narnia.

This quote decimates the notion that one is too old to start over. No, some of the greatest entrepreneurs have started over from great setbacks, and that too very late in their life.

You need to believe in yourself and know that you are capable of making a comeback in your life.

74) “Turn your obstacles into opportunities and your problems into possibilities.” – Roy T. Bennett

Explanation: This is a way of thinking or a mindset to keep in mind while writing your comeback story. When starting over, you are bound to encounter countless obstacles. There is no way to sugarcoat this. It won’t be a rosy journey.

In such situations, you need to have the ability to be innovative by finding ways to make obstacles into opportunities and problems into possibilities.

75) “You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” – Walt Disney

Explanation: Sometimes, a rude awakening is all we need to muster up our inner zeal, courage, and strength. When the chips are down, when people you count on backtrack on you, you realize you are all alone. Sometimes, that very feeling makes something happen to you.

It happened to me as well.

When I realized it, it gave me goosebumps and a powerful rush of zeal. I think when you are all alone, your subsequent inner awakening motivates you, even more, to be a force of change in your life and make the comeback that will shock those who did not believe in you.

76) “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius

Explanation: Here is a great Stoic quote to think about when things are going difficult and awry. 

Knowing you have power only in your mind will make you stop worrying about things external to you, and thus beyond your control. This removes half the stress you might experience while making your comeback.

77) “What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” – Oscar Wilde

Explanation: If you’re going through a tough time, treat it as a necessary evil to surge ahead. The circumstances or pain you feel are the fuel you need to march ahead.

This situation was a blessing to showcase who’s truly your friend and who isn’t. Use all this as fuel to come back stronger.

78) “The best comeback is to come back by not coming back at all; live your life and forget their existence.” – Anonymous

Explanation: This one is an alternative take on a comeback. Many of us might not agree with it fully at face value, but let’s read between the lines.

This quote says that once you fail, you cannot go back to the same people and systems that caused you to fail. Instead, you should give a fresh start, which would be a comeback in itself.

79) “I’ve always felt like the underdog, and I’m comfortable with that label.” – Pink

6. Comeback Quotes on Strength and Growth from Struggles

80) “By making a comeback, I’m changing the attitude of people toward me.” — Mark Spitz 

Explanation: When people make a comeback, be it in the cine world, sports, or business, all negative chatter about them vanishes, and they are seen with adulation and respect. 

So never take the negative talk of the world seriously. It is all temporary and will vanish the day you make your comeback.

81) “My comeback was not about winning or losing; it was about the feeling of being able to compete at the top level again.” — Thomas Muster

82) “Everyone loves a comeback story. Hopefully that inspires people to not give up on themselves and their lives and not give up on their dreams.” — James Arthur 

Explanation: Deep inside, we are all struggling. The truth is that the world is not an Instagram filter. We are all dealing with our setbacks and struggles. 

That’s why a comeback story is deeply romantic and celebrated across cultures. It demonstrates that the human spirit can fight and prevail. Maybe one day, your story will be featured too?

83) “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela

Explanation:  I agree. The whole process of rising from failure is an unmatched feeling.

Imagine the world counting you down and out, and then one fine day, they see you rise and witness your comeback. Imagine the reactions of your believers and your haters. It’s an unmatched feeling.

84) “The comeback is always more powerful than the failure” – Anonymous

Explanation: Yes, there is something very spiritual about a comeback, driven by anguish, suffering, and willpower. Comebacks are powered by the weight of these aspects.

85) “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller

Explanation: Oh, I love this quote. It is one of my favorites. Times are like seasons; sometimes they are good, and sometimes they are bad.

You cannot be immune to it. But if you are a stoic who has the grit to weather all these seasons, then you are tough enough to last any adversity.

86) “It’s not over till you WIN.” – Les Brown

Explanation: Never give up, right? Until you win, the game is still on. You do not lose till you quit.

87) “The moment you give up is the moment you let someone else win.” – Kobe Bryant

Explanation: This quote is about your fighting spirit. If you need to make a comeback, quitting should be made illegal for you. The hunger to come back is directly related to the amount of fighting spirit you have.

88) The best revenge is massive success.” – Frank Sinatra

Explanation: I think all the Sigma males will relate to this. Revenge should not be hot-blooded. Yes, they hurt you, broke your heart, insulted you, or even humiliated you.

But the best answer to that is making a comeback with massive success. It should be a success that they cannot imagine you are capable of. Imagine how they would feel if they wrote you off, and then one fine day, see your success.

89) “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” – Thomas Paine

Explanation: This quote highlights the romantic and heroic nature of a great conflict in your life journey. The harder the battle is, the more satisfying the taste of success. These are lines to live by in your comeback journey.

90) “Success is not built on success. It’s built on failure. It’s built on frustration. Sometimes it’s built on catastrophe.” — Sumner Redstone

Explanation: The path to success is not a bed of roses. The road to success comes from trial and error, massive pitfalls, and a lot of struggle.

As an individual, you need to have persistence, strong will, and courage in your heart, to not bow down to adversity and let frustration set in. You need to keep going on and weather every storm.

91) “The phoenix must burn to emerge.” – Janet Fitch

Explanation: If you treat failure as a positive outcome for a. fresh start, your re-emergence or comeback is guaranteed. Remember this quote every time you fail or have a setback.

92) “Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.” – Napoleon Hill

93) “Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.” – Donald Trump

Explanation: Like him or hate him, Donald Trump knows a thing or two about making comebacks. With this quote, he highlights the positive aspect of a setback, which forces you to think out-of-the-box to win the battle.

94) “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Explanation:  This quote definitely holds true. Like in your physique, resistance builds strength; in life, it is the struggles you face that equip you with muscle memory to handle them and reach your full potential.

95) “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven’t.” – Thomas A. Edison

Explanation: This quote will motivate you in your comeback journey, especially when you feel hopeless. You might think that you have tried and knocked on all doors, but in reality, you need to look harder.

There is always some way out, in one form or another. Time and people do not stay the same as situations evolve, producing new possibilities. 

96) “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” – Zig Ziglar

Explanation: This is a quote to keep with yourself as you embark on your comeback journey. Comebacks can be a difficult path to follow since they take a huge emotional toll on you. In those times, a quote like this brings hope and promise.

97) “Rise up and show the world your resolve.”  – Anonymous

Explanation: I love this quote, especially coz how glorious and heroic it sounds.

After all, when everything is against you, you are fighting against all odds; that is when the true mettle of your character is revealed.

So, instead of giving up, why not rise up and fight? Show the world what you are made of.

7. Comeback Quotes on Success After Struggle and the Sweetness of Victory

98) “The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.” – Pele

Explanation: Pele was so right about this. Imagine your favorite sports team is behind on the scorecard with a few minutes to go. 

Then suddenly, in the last few minutes, they come back from behind and score the winner. Sounds like a perfect and memorable ending, right? No wonder most sports movies have a similar script. 

This is because winning a lost battle invokes the greatest happiness. Think of your comeback in the same way.

99) “There’s nothing as exciting as a comeback – seeing someone with dreams, watching them fail, and then getting a second chance.” – Rachel Griffiths

8. Comeback Quotes About Fighting Spirit and Not Giving Up

100) “Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first step to succeeding.” – Jim Valvano

Explanation: By now, we have established that failure is unavoidable in the pursuit of great goals. This quote urges you to think of failure as the base on which success is built. This helps us rewire our minds to think of failure as part of success, a necessary one at that.

101) “The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure.” – Stephen Richards

102) “To persevere is important to everybody. Don’t give up. Don’t Give in. There is always an answer to everything.” – Louis Zamperini

Explanation: Louis Zamperini is a personal hero of mine after I watched the movie “Unbroken” and subsequently read the book with the same title. He was a World War 2 pilot who was caught by the Japanese and taken as a prisoner of war.

It takes a special character to endure what Louis experienced in this camp and still survive and live a fruitful life. This quote is about the quality of perseverance and the will to survive, which was in all its glory in that horrible prison camp, despite being met with unspoken torture and cruelty.

If Louis could survive all that and still live a long, fruitful life devoted to God, why can’t we?

9. Best Sports Comeback Quotes

103) “Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way.” – Satchel Paige

Explanation: The idea is to never stop making attempts. Remember that most of the defeat is in your head. If you let it grow, it will weigh you down. Instead, make iterations in your approach and build your path to success.

104) “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” – Muhammad Ali

105) “Life is a lot like surfing… When you get caught in the impact zone, you’ve got to just get back up. Because you never know what may be over the next wave.” – Bethany Hamilton

Explanation: This quote is about hope. If you let defeat weigh you down, you will lose all opportunities that may come in the future. You would close all doors to hope.

Instead, you should have faith, and keep going, as you never know the adventure that lies ahead.

106) “Some days, I cry. I’m really sad. I’ve had meltdowns. It’s been a really tough 11 months; If I can do it, you guys can do it too.” – Serena Williams.

Explanation: This is life in a nutshell. It is 99% struggle, meltdowns, agony, and the grind. But if you toil hard in this time, it will reflect on your match day like it did for Serena.

107) “It’s at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys.” – Emil Zatopek

Explanation: Another powerful quote. A man would be separated from the boys at the threshold of pain and suffering.

Those who cannot take pain, agony, and defeat fall down (which is the case for the majority of people).

That is why true glory belongs to so few as only a selective few can withstand failure and struggle. If you imbibe this quality to withstand failure stoically, no one can stop you from making your comeback.

108) “What you feel doesn’t matter in the end; it’s what you do that makes you brave.” – Andre Agassi

Explanation: Focusing on the loss and defeat won’t get you anywhere. These things won’t be remembered by others but continue to live in your head, stalling you. 

Instead, focus on the action and take decisive practical steps. It is these practical actions that will lead you to your path again, a brave one at that.

109) “Always work hard, never give up, and fight until the end because it’s never really over until the whistle blows.” – Alex Morgan

Explanation: Many people experience a pitfall and think it’s the end of the game. They do not realize it is not over until you say it is.

If you are able to brush off your failures and continue on your path, you will eventually get to where you always wanted to be, ready to make a resurgent comeback in your life.

110) “My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having troubles off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.” – Hank Aaron

Explanation: This quote highlights the power of being consistent in order to achieve goals. Despite massive failures, if you keep doing what you do best, passionately, sooner or later you will reach a point where you are so trained, and failure-proof that nothing will stop you from your comeback trail. Consistency is the key to a comeback.

111) “The reward is not so great without the struggle…. The triumph can’t be had without the struggle.” – Wilma Rudolph

Explanation: Struggle makes the victory more joyous. If the road was smooth and easy, would the victory be enthralling and exciting to achieve? It won’t. 

Struggles and failures are essential components of final victory. Something to keep in mind while you are feeling lost in your comeback arc…

112) A champion is defined by the adversity he overcomes. – Anderson Silva 

Explanation: This is a powerful quote. This highlights that it is not just about winning or losing. A champion is determined by the character and mettle he shows when the odds are against him.

That is why we should treat failures and pitfalls as blessings that will sharpen our character and shape it to perfection when the next opportunity comes knocking.

My own Comeback inspirational quotes – Taken from my personal experience

At the beginning of this piece, I shared how I had my fair share of ups and downs in life.

I wanted to share with you some personal thoughts-based quotes that helped me tackle defeat and depression, and gear myself for comebacks.

This is after a lot of hits and misses and based on my own personal experiences of struggle and failures.

These are my personally crafted quotes, thoughts, and mantras, nurtured from my own experiences and reading comeback stories. These quotes helped me rise from bed again and push myself for a comeback.

Comeback quotes coming from own personal experience No.1: “The secret recipe for a comeback? Being relentless in your pursuit.”

Comeback quotes derived from my own personal experience No. 2: “Comebacks are only possible for the mentally strong and the brave. There is no way to sugarcoat this.”

Explanation: I learnt that comebacks are not for everyone. This is a path for the brave and with stoic will. 

You see, there will be countless ups and downs, which will shake off the majority. The ones who are prepared for adversity and have a strong will will be the only ones remaining at the end of the road to victory.

Comeback quotes based on my own personal experience No. 3: “The hunger for a comeback is directly related to the amount of fighting spirit you have in you.”

Explanation: This holds true when you see the stories of all the famous people who executed a powerful comeback. In the end, the need to come back should not be an abstract concept but backed by a fighting spirit to win.

Comeback quotes from my own personal experience No. 4: “If you need to make a comeback, quitting should be made illegal for you.”

Explanation: Yes, it is like that historic anecdote where Tariq ibn Zayd, an Arab general, burned his ships after landing on the Iberian Peninsula.

This was a strategic move to remove any temptation from his troops to quit their conquest of Spain.

In the same way, if you remove the temptation to quit, your comeback will eventually be assured. This is because you will have no choice but to move forward.

Comeback quotes and thoughts from my own personal experience No.5: “The true character of a man is revealed when the odds are against him.”

Explanation: I will take this quote with me when I am facing some adverse challenge. If the situation is against me, do I fold or do I keep fighting? If I fold, I have no right to call myself a fighter. This self-talk has helped me face some challenges in life. I hope it helps you too.

Comeback quotes stemming from my own personal experience No.6: “How you deal with failures is directly related to how your future will deal with you.”

Explanation: Failures are unavoidable. How you deal with them will directly govern the future you will live. If you cower down in front of failure, your future will be a culmination of what-ifs. If you keep going on, you will open unimaginable possibilities.

Comeback quotes stemming from my own personal experience No.7: “Perseverance, consistency, and fighting spirit are the ingredients of a man set to make a comeback.”

Explanation: After studying 100s of famous people and their comeback stories, if I have to list the top 3 qualities needed for a comeback, it would be these. If you have these qualities, nothing can stop you from making a comeback.

Personal experience-based comeback quote No.8: “Life becomes a heroic grand tale when the odds are against you.”

Explanation: I always feel this to be true. When the odds are against you, there is something heroic and romantic about it. 

It becomes like a classic tale of you V/S everyone. How heroic does that feel? So instead of buckling down to multiple adversaries, chin up, and give them a hell of a fight.

Personal Comeback quote based on my own experience No. 9: “Do not fear the odds. Thank them because they will make you the best version of yourself.”

Explanation: Yes, instead of fearing the odds, celebrate them. It is your free master’s degree at the University of Life. Use them to create a better version of you, a tougher you.

Personal Experience-based comeback quote No. 10: “If you have tenacity, comebacks are more or less guaranteed.”

Explanation: If you have tenacity, literally nothing can stop you. It’s always about the one who is the most determined, the most daring. He won’t buckle down to pressure and will eventually win.

Essential tools to make the most out of comeback quotes

Here are the 3 tools that will help you convert the fuel from these inspirational comeback quotes into tangible and massive actions:

1) Fusebase

This is my go-to app for productivity and work organization. Fusebase (previous Nimbus Note) lets you categorize your work into different templates like checklists, kanban boards, notes, and more.

It also enables you to organize your businesses and side hustles with document templates for customer surveys, customer persona profiles, data tables, client briefs, SWOT analysis, journey maps, action plans, and more.

The list is endless and makes the whole work so much easier with a ready-to-use template for everything.

You can arrange the pages and templates under various folders and name them as you like. The folders and files you create here are easily searchable via keyword search, making document sorting easy.

I personally use it to have a quick-start system for getting up-to-speed with my various side hustles and also create products from the information I have put here through years of data dumps.

Sorting is easy, so I do not have to endlessly remember and search where I put what.

2) Voila AI

This is one of my favorite AI productivity tools. With Voila, I can literally do anything. If I feel stuck with what to say to a client, I enter the scenario into Voila, and it simulates an entire conversation for me.

If I want to pitch an offer to a client in a meeting, I’ll prompt Voila to showcase all the various aspects of my service correctly, and it would come up with various aspects and angles about my service that I did not think of before.

That’s just the client side of things.

Voila can help you create information products, produce brand identity details for your various brands, unwrap complicated finance concepts in simple terms, and much more.

To make a solid comeback in life, we need to get the maximum out of the limited time we have. These 3 tools are my go-to for that.

3) Brain.fm

Brain.fm generates focus music to help you work more effectively.

While other music can take your attention away from work with its hooks and melody, Brain.fm is specially designed to stimulate your brain with rhythmic pulses that support sustained attention.

You can choose the activity type you want to do (deep work, creative flow, coding, intense study, etc.), and Brain.fm will generate the perfect background sounds for you to work better. You can also set the length of time you want the music to be.