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How to write a thank you speech
Thank you quotations

Thank you quotes for a vote of thanks

- 38 ways to say thank you meaningfully

These thank you quotes come from many sources. I hope you'll find the collection useful for picking out a special phrase, or two, to include in either a vote of thanks speech or a note of appreciation.

Using them makes a great alternative to a repetitive string of: "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you ..." That becomes tediously boring to listen to, or read, especially if you have a long list of people, or deeds, to acknowledge.

(Any word said over, and over again, tends to lose its initial impact and meaning. Even thank you!)

A well-chosen quote will help keep your vote of thanks interesting to listen to, as well as meaningful for the first, and last person, on your list.

Below the quotations, near the bottom of the page, you'll find an example showing how to work one neatly into your text.

38 thank you quotes for a vote of thanks

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Mark Twain

The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.

John E. Southard

I can no other answer make but, thanks, and thanks.

William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night)

Thank you, dear God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. Thank you for the rain. And for the chance to wake up in three hours and go fishing: I thank you for that now, because I won’t feel so thankful then. - Garrison Keillor

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.

G.B. Stern

One can pay back the loan of gold, but one dies forever in debt to those who are kind.

Malayan Proverb

What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.

Albert Pine

We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love.

Mother Teresa

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

John F. Kennedy

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.

Meister Eckhart

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. - e. e. cummings

Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel.

Author Unknown

The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Eric Hoffer quote on counting blessings.

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.

Eric Hoffer

Help with a business thank you speech

Are you worrying over writing a business or professional thank you speech? One thanking your colleagues for a job well done?

Here's a good one to use as a template. It's utterly adaptable. Takes bits out, flick bits in ... until you have it sorted.
Get to it: business thank you speech.

Saying “thank you” creates love.

Daphne Rose Kingma

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.

Author Unknown

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. - Albert Schweitzer

Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.

Alfred Painter

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.

Cicero

Marcel Proust quote on people who make our souls blossom.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

Marcel Proust

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.

Oscar Wilde

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.

Margaret Cousins

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. You made a difference. Thank-you so much.

Author Unknown

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Epictetus

It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment.

Naomi Williams

Dalai Lama quote on the roots of goodness.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation.

Dalai Lama

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.

Seneca

The best kind of giving is thanksgiving.

GK Chesterton

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

William Arthur Ward

Gratitude creates the most wonderful feeling. It can resolve disputes. It can strengthen friendships. And it makes us better men and women.

Gordon B. Hinckley

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.

Hausa proverb (Nigeria)

A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.

Author Unknown

Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They're absolutely free and worth a fortune. - Sam Walton

The cheapest gift I have to give is kindness, and it is the best.

Bob Kerry

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.
Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’

William Arthur Ward

Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed.

Mark Twain

I’m thankful for my struggle because without it I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strength.

Anonymous

Just a 'thank you' is a mighty powerful prayer. Says it all.

Rosie Cash

Getting from thank you quote to speech

Obviously you can either use the quotes as they are, or adapt them to suit your purpose!

However, whatever you choose to do with them do acknowledge the person whose words you're using.

Most of these quotations are well known. If you don't use the person's name people may think you're trying to pass their words off as your own. That could be awkward, embarrassing or even damaging for you.

Example of how to use a quote in a vote of thanks

Here's quote number 5 integrated into part of a "thank you" speech to illustrate. I've used it as the reason leading to thanking three people for their support.

"The English writer G.B. Stern said "Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone" and I agree with her.

I want to shout my thanks out loud. I want everyone to know and hear how much the support of Tom, Brad and Harry means to me. But more than that, I want them to know.

Tom you were there for me 200%. You shared your expertise and time unstintingly.

Brad, we've been mates since kindergarten. You give me that rare combination of loyalty, humor and honesty. You keep me on track, laughing and true - a real friend.

Harry, you're a marvel. Patient and practical. You listen, you understand and find solutions where others would only see problems."

More help

Do you need a hand to write your vote of thanks or appreciation speech?

Thank you speech help

Here's help on how to prepare a general appreciation thank you speech. You'll find guidance, a template and an example speech. The information here is adaptable. Use it to say thank you for an award, a party, a promotion ...