8 Inspirational George Clooney Quotes on Leadership, Failure and Staying Humble The actor-slash-entrepreneur has some words of wisdom for entrepreneurs.

By Rose Leadem Oct 10, 2018

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Actor, director, producer, humanitarian, entrepreneur -- is there anything that George Clooney doesn't do? With such a long list of accomplishments, there are a number of things you can learn from the successful Hollywood star.

Clooney's breakout role was as Dr. Doug Ross on NBC's ER. Putting his name on the map and landing him two Emmy awards, Clooney has gone on to star in, direct and produce a number of films, including Ocean's Eleven, Syriana, Michael Clayton and Up in the Air, to name a few. Now an Academy Award-winning actor, Clooney has gone on to get his feet wet in business, famously launching tequila company Casamigos, which he sold to Diageo for a whopping $1 billion last year.

From entrepreneurship to acting, Clooney's hats are many and to learn how he's found success in various industries, check out these eight inspirational quotes.

On leadership

"In the end, it's more fun to be the painter than the paint." -- George Clooney

On failure

"Failures are infinitely more instructive than successes." -- George Clooney

On courage

"The simple truth is everyone has an opinion, everyone has the right to voice it and they should if they want to." -- George Clooney

On confidence

"I had to stop going to auditions thinking, 'Oh, I hope they like me.' I had to go in thinking I was the answer to their problem." -- George Clooney

On growth

"You never really learn much from hearing yourself speak." -- George Clooney

On living life to the fullest

"You have only a short period of time in your life to make your mark, and I'm there now." -- George Clooney

On hard work

"The only failure is not to try." -- George Clooney

On being humble

"I watch Batman & Robin from time to time. It's the worst movie I ever made, so it's a good lesson in humility." -- George Clooney

Rose Leadem

Rose Leadem is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Most Popular

See all

Starting a Business

She Started a Business With $300 After Getting Laid Off. It Made $300,000 in Year 1 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Company.

Bobbie Racette wanted to revamp the virtual assistance space — and provide job opportunities for underrepresented communities at the same time.

By Amanda Breen

Side Hustle

This 79-Year-Old Retiree's Side Hustle Earns $4,000 a Month: 'I Work as Much or as Little as I Desire'

Dan Weiss saw an article about a side hustle in the local newspaper — then decided to try it himself.

By Amanda Breen

Science & Technology

These Are the 9 Dead Giveaways That AI Wrote This Story

How to spot a bot behind the content you read—everytime.

By Jonathan Small

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

By Eve Gumpel

Business News

Here's Why Nvidia Just Broke Another Record and Could Take Apple's Crown as the Most Valuable Company in the World

Nvidia's biggest clients are Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google.

By Sherin Shibu

Money & Finance

These 3 Money Mistakes Derailed My Financial Stability as a Latina Entrepreneur — Here's How You Can Avoid Them

These are common hurdles for Hispanic entrepreneurs, but with the right strategies, you can overcome them and achieve lasting financial stability while staying true to who you are. Here's how to avoid the three biggest mistakes that could be holding you back.

By Alejandra Rojas