Marilyn Monroe Quotes: 50 Iconic Lines That Empower You

Marilyn Monroe's words capture a rare combination of vulnerability, wit, and fierce self-belief. A single quote can sharpen your courage, brighten a hard day, or remind you who you truly are. Use these lines for morning motivation, social captions, journaling prompts, or as small daily mantras when you need confidence, comfort, or a nudge to take the next step.

Motivational quotes

• "We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world." — Marilyn Monroe
• "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I restore myself when I'm alone." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Everyone's got a little crazy in them. It's what you do with it that matters." — Marilyn Monroe
• "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." — Marilyn Monroe

Inspirational quotes

• "Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." — Marilyn Monroe
• "We're all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go..." — Marilyn Monroe
• "A wise girl knows her limits, a smart girl knows that she has none." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil." — Marilyn Monroe
• "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Sometimes I feel like I'm not sure I want to be someone else." — Marilyn Monroe

Life wisdom quotes

• "It's better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone — so far." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I don't want to die without any scars." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I don't mind living in a man's world, as long as I can be a woman in it." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot." — Marilyn Monroe
• "A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I've never fooled anyone. I've let men sometimes fool themselves." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I am an excitable person who only understands life lyrically, musically, in whom feelings are much stronger as reason." — Marilyn Monroe

Success & confidence quotes

• "If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." — Marilyn Monroe
• "People will stare. Make it worth their while." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I always felt that my greatest asset was not my physical beauty but my ability to make people laugh." — Marilyn Monroe
• "It's not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I want to be wonderful." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Success makes you forget what you started out for." — Marilyn Monroe

Happiness & love quotes

• "Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Forever is a long time, but I wouldn't mind spending it by your side." — Marilyn Monroe
• "A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous." — Marilyn Monroe
• "There are certainly things in life which are so important that they're worth risking everything for." — Marilyn Monroe
• "You can start out with nothing and still end up with the world." — Marilyn Monroe

Daily inspiration quotes

• "I don't want to be alone, I want to be left alone." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I don't mind living in a man's world, as long as I can be a woman in it." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted." — Marilyn Monroe
• "If you want the girl next door, go next door." — Marilyn Monroe
• "One day the people that didn't believe in you will tell everyone how they met you." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Being perfectly honest with oneself is a good exercise." — Marilyn Monroe
• "Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together." — Marilyn Monroe
• "I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot." — Marilyn Monroe

Quotes above mix short, punchy lines and longer reflections you can pin on a wall, use as a daily mantra, drop into a morning routine, or share with someone who needs a lift.

In short: great quotes are tiny tools for big change. Tuck a few of these Marilyn Monroe lines into your day—on your mirror, in your planner, or as a phone lock screen—and you'll find small shifts in mood, courage, and clarity that add up into real transformation.