70 Marilyn Monroe Quotes on Making a Mark in the World

These Marilyn Monroe quotes are full of insightful lines that’ll help your true self shine!

Many of us know Marilyn Monroe as one of the most prominent female figures of the 1950s and 1960s. She played many comedic roles that showed off her femininity.

Though society focused on her sexuality and wild side, Marilyn Monroe had a lot of depth to her personality that all women can live by.

For one, we learn to be unapologetic about who we are, regardless of society. She also reminds us to let go of our inhibitions and fears, so we don’t miss out on life.

If she’s one of your role models, you’ll enjoy this collection we’ve created for you! Check out the complete list below to better understand Marilyn Monroe.

Start here.

And don’t forget to check out these Audrey Hepburn quotes.

Best Marilyn Monroe Quotes

1. “Everyone’s a star and deserves the right to twinkle.”

2. “I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”

3. “I’m selfish, impatient, and insecure. I make mistakes. I am out of control and at times, hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you don’t deserve me at my best.”

4. “I don’t forgive people because I’m weak, I forgive them because I am strong enough to know people make mistakes.”

5. “You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself.”

6. “I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.”

7. “Be real, be yourself, be unique, be true, be honest, be humble, be happy.”

8. “One of the best things that ever happened to me is that I’m a woman. That is the way all females should feel.”

9. “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”

Famous Marilyn Monroe Quotes

10. “I don’t stop when I’m tired. I only stop when I’m done.”

11. “Beneath the makeup and behind the smile, I am just a girl who wishes for the world.”

12. “The way you carry yourself is influenced by the way you feel inside. You must feel attractive to be attractive.”

13. “Boys think girls are like books, If the cover doesn’t catch their eye they won’t bother to read what’s inside.”

14. “If you can make a woman laugh, you can make her do anything.”

15. “I am trying to find myself. Sometimes that’s not easy.”

16. “Sometimes you just have to throw on a crown and remind them who they’re dealing with.”

17. “A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself.”

18. “I’m pretty but not beautiful. I sin but I’m not the devil. I’m good but I’m not an angel.”

Also read: Betty White Quotes

Marilyn Monroe Quotes to Inspire You

19. “Always remember to smile and look up at what you got in life.”

20. “All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren’t.”

21. “Always be yourself. Retain individuality. Listen to the truest part of yourself.”

22. “Always, always, always believe in yourself. Because if you don’t then who will, sweetie?”

23. “I live to succeed, not to please you or anyone else.”

24. “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”

25. “She was a girl who knew how to be happy even when she was sad. And that’s important.”

Also read: Maria Felix Quotes

Wise Marilyn Monroe Quotes About Life

26. “Keep smiling because life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.”

27. “In spite of everything, life is not without hope.”

28. “We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid, so are regrets.”

29. “Sometimes I think it would be easier to avoid old age; to die young. But then you’d never complete your life, would you? You’d never wholly know you.” 

30. “This life is what you make it. No matter what, you’re going to mess up sometimes, it’s a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you’re going to mess it up.”

31. “If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never got anywhere.”

Marilyn Monroe Quotes About Love and Relationships

32. “Before marriage, a girl has to make love to a man to hold him. After marriage, she has to hold him to make love to him.”

33. “The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space.”

34. “I have feelings too. I am still human. All I want is to be loved, for myself and for my talent.”

35. “It’s far better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone—so far.”

36. “A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe, and leaves before she is left.”

37. “All a girl really wants is for one guy to prove to her that they are not all the same.”

38. “A strong man doesn’t have to be dominant toward a woman. He doesn’t match his strength against a woman weak with love for him. He matches it against the world.”

Also read: True Love Quotes

Short Marilyn Monroe Quotes and One-Liners

39. “A girl doesn’t need anyone who doesn’t need her.”

40. “A girl should be like a butterfly—pretty to see, hard to catch.”

41. “A wise girl knows her limits, a smart girl knows that she has none.”

42. “There isn’t anybody that looks like me without clothes on.”

43. “Sweetie, if you’re going to be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty.”

44. “I only know I want to be wonderful.”

45. “The nicest thing for me is sleep, then at least I can dream.”

Marilyn Monroe Quotes on Friends

46. “A friend tells you what you want to hear; a best friend tells you the truth.”

47. “Sisters make the best friends in the world.”

48. “Girls will be your friends—they’ll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything, they’re your true best friends. Don’t let go of them.”

49. “I think one of the basic reasons men make good friends is that they can make up their minds quickly.”

Interesting Marilyn Monroe Quotes About Success

50. “Just because you fail once doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything.”

51. “Fame is like caviar, you know—it’s good to have caviar but not when you have it at every meal.”

52. “Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn’t that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you.”

53. “Fame is fickle, and I know it. It has its compensations but it also has its drawbacks, and I’ve experienced them both.”

54. “When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I’m already better than them anyway.”

Also read: Success Quotes, Positive Quotes

Marilyn Monroe Quotes to Change Your Mindset

55. “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.”

56. “Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.”

57. “Creativity has got to start with humanity and when you’re a human being, you feel, you suffer.”

58. “To all the girls that think you’re fat because you’re not a size zero, you’re the beautiful one. It’s society who’s ugly.”

59. “If there is only one thing in my life that I am proud of, it’s that I’ve never been a kept woman.”

60. “For those who are poor in happiness, each time is a first time; happiness never becomes a habit.”

61. “Respect is one of life’s greatest treasures. I mean, what does it all add up to if you don’t have that?”

62. “I think that love and work are the only things that really happen to us.”

63. “Your clothes should be tight enough to show you’re a woman but loose enough to show you’re a lady.”

64. “That’s the way you feel when you’re beaten inside. You don’t feel angry at those who’ve beaten you. You just feel ashamed.”

Also read: Encouraging Quotes

More Marilyn Monroe Quotes for Everyone Who’s Curious About Her

65. “Dreaming about being an actress is more exciting than being one.”

66. “I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made.”

67. “I am not a victim of emotional conflicts. I am human.”

68. “I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful, but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else.”

69. “I think that sexuality is only attractive when it’s natural and spontaneous.”

70. “I don’t look at myself as a commodity, but I’m sure people have.”

Did These Marilyn Monroe Quotes Encourage You to Share Your True Self With the World?

We often get caught up in other people’s opinions and how we should act. The sad thing about this is that sometimes, even our own families can’t accept our true personalities. Thus, they try to force their ideas on us.

Just imagine how much more common this was during the ‘50s and ‘60s. It must have been tough for women during this time. But, Marilyn Monroe defied all odds.

Even during her time when women were expected to adhere to gender roles, she remained true to herself. When everyone’s goal was to be the best housewife to a successful man, she strived to better herself and improve on herself first.

She understood that to be happy in life doesn’t mean being married, having kids, and getting a house with a white picket fence. Through her words, we learn about being unapologetically ourselves and being unrestrained when reaching our goals. No matter how terrifying it might be, go out of your comfort zones; do not be stagnant because of fear.

There’s no doubt that this blonde bombshell is a figure to be idolized, not because of her physical appearance but her heart, mind, and character. With that, we hope you were able to see how she continues to help women worldwide gain confidence, even years after her death. Like Marilyn Monroe, believe in yourself and grab every opportunity to shine like the brightest star in the galaxy!

What other lessons did you learn from this list of Marilyn Monroe quotes? Did we miss any of your favorites? List them down below!

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Karen Danao

Hi, I’m Karen, a content curator and writer for Quote Ambition; I’m also a marketing and advertising professional. Beyond the keyboard and the screen, I’m someone who’s out to enjoy every bit that life has to offer!

Poetry, philosophy, history, and movies are all topics I love writing about! However, my true passion is in traveling, photography, and finding common ground to which everyone from different cultures can relate.

With the many places I’ve been to, I found that love, inspiration, and happiness are some things that bring people together. No matter how different we are on the outside, I’m a true believer that our emotions don’t lie; if you dig deep into our psyche, we’re all the same inside.

This belief was further amplified when I joined Quote Ambition. Through the quotes I’ve read, collected, organized, and written about, I found that humans are resilient, creative, and compassionate.

We take from each others’ hearts and courage, and it’s through our individual experiences that we learn how to rise above our challenges and pain. In so many ways, Quote Ambition is a platform that allows people from all over the world to gain the inspiration they need anytime, anywhere!

You can find me on MuckRack and LinkedIn.

2 thoughts on “70 Marilyn Monroe Quotes on Making a Mark in the World”

  1. “Women who seek to be equal to men lack ambition.” Is this a quote from Marilyn? I saw it on a tea tab from Good earth Tea.

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