41 Best Songs About Chasing Your Dreams & Never Giving Up

41 Best Songs About Chasing Your Dreams & Never Giving Up

AKA: the exact songs I put on when I need to feel unstoppable or hopeful again.

I’ve always been upfront about my obsession with books.

But if I’m honest, music does something to me that books can’t quite match.

Maybe it’s because music has this strange power to make me feel such strong emotions in just a few minutes.

Within seconds, some songs can make me feel nostalgic. Others make me feel wistful.

Then there’s this whole other category of music that makes me feel completely fired up, inspired to take on the world and chase my goals with full abandon.

In a nutshell, it’s these latter songs that I’m sharing with you today – music can quickly shift something inside me in a way that journalling or thought work often can’t.

I thought I’d share the playlist I personally reach for when I want to feel hopeful and strong – specifically about my goals.

It’s the playlist that keeps me going when I’m chasing a goal that feels just out of reach, or when I need reminding that I’m more capable than I’m giving myself credit for in that moment.

And I’ll say this too, in advance – I know some people are genuinely picky about music. They have refined taste, strong opinions and a whole framework for what counts as “good.”

That’s not me.

This playlist (I’ll include the link to it below) was absolutely not curated to impress anyone. My song choices are absurdly simple and some are probably ridiculously predictable (or not?)

But for me, they work. They make me feel stronger, more hopeful, more inspired and more excited to keep moving towards my goals.

And honestly, that was the only thing I cared about when I compiling this list.

So here they are:

41 feel-good songs, in the exact order I like to listen to them.

1. Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield

Could there be a more perfect opening song? Your future is still a blank page, today hasn’t been written yet, and you’re the one holding the pen.

2. Today – Willamette Stone

Soft, hopeful and such a lovely reminder that an ordinary day can still hold so much possibility. You never really know what today might bring.

If you haven’t heard this cover of the Smashing Pumpkin’s song, please listen to it today!

3. Brave – Sara Bareilles

For all those times you know what you want to say or do but you’re scared to actually do it. Be brave enough to say the thing, make the move and let yourself be seen.

4. Express Yourself – Madonna

Know what you want. Know what you’re worth. And please don’t spend your one precious life settling for scraps when you secretly want so much more.

5. I Am Woman – Helen Reddy

An absolute classic for a reason. There’s something powerful about remembering how much strength, wisdom and resilience you’ve already earned simply by living through everything you have.

6. Roar – Katy Perry

For anyone who has ever stayed quiet, played small or forgotten how powerful they are. Sometimes you need to turn the volume up and find your roar again.

7. Fight Song – Rachel Platten

I love the reminder that one tiny spark can still start a fire. You don’t need to feel wildly confident to turn things around – sometimes you just need enough belief to take the next step.

8. Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson

Because sometimes the very thing you wish had never happened becomes part of what makes you stronger. You got knocked down. Look at you getting back up.

9. Unstoppable – Sia

For those moments when you need to borrow a little confidence until your own catches up. Put this on loud enough and for three minutes or so, you genuinely start to believe you might be capable of absolutely anything.

10. The Greatest – Sia

For those days when you’re tired, discouraged and seriously tempted to call it quits. Dig a little deeper – there might be more left in you than you think.

11. This Is Me – The Greatest Showman

Oh, the freedom of finally deciding you don’t need to shrink yourself to make other people comfortable. This is me. Take it or leave it.

12. High Hopes – Panic! at the Disco

Keep the high hopes. Keep the slightly ridiculous dreams. So many extraordinary things begin with someone believing in something that didn’t look particularly realistic at the time.

13. Hall of Fame – The Script ft. will.i.am

This is the one to blast when you need reminding that you’re capable of more than you’ve currently proved. Dream big and then go see what happens when you actually try.

14. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

Sometimes deep introspection is overrated and what you really need is Eye of the Tiger playing ridiculously loudly. Instant musical kick up the butt.

15. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake

There comes a point when you have to stop waiting for certainty and just go. You may not know exactly where the road leads, but off you go anyway.

16. The Fire Inside – Bon Jovi

Pay attention to the things that keep lighting something up inside you. That little fire might be trying to tell you something.

17. Shadows of the Night – Pat Benatar

For those moments when the road ahead feels a little dark and you’re going anyway. Courage was never about waiting until all the shadows disappeared.

18. I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty

No complicated life lesson required here. Sometimes you decide something matters enough that you’re simply not backing down.

19. Never Give Up – Sia

For the day when quitting is starting to look suspiciously appealing. Give yourself another chance before you decide you’re done.

20. Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi

Sometimes you’re halfway there with no freaking clue how you’re going to make it the rest of the way. Hold on anyway – preferably while belting out the chorus at full volume.

I’ve loved this song since the first time I heard it back in 1986 (I was in the sixth grade then!)

21. Tubthumping – Chumbawamba

Possibly the most entertaining resilience lesson ever recorded. Get knocked down. Get back up. Repeat as required.

22. Hold On – Wilson Phillips

A song for the days when you need someone to remind you that how things feel right now isn’t necessarily how they’ll feel forever. Hold on long enough to find out what happens next.

23. Lean on Me – Bill Withers

You don’t get bonus points for carrying everything alone. Let people be there for you when you need them – and be that person for someone else too.

24. The Rose – Bette Midler

A beautiful reminder that not everything blooms the minute you plant it. Some things need a little more time, faith and tenderness before you see what was growing underneath.

25. The Climb – Miley Cyrus

You think you’re chasing the summit, but so much of your life is actually happening on the way there. Don’t become so obsessed with arriving that you miss who you’re becoming during the climb.

26. The Storm Couldn’t Kill Me – Flavia Tash

For anyone who has walked through a season they genuinely weren’t sure they’d survive. The storm came. You’re still here.

27. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Green Day

Life is messy, unpredictable, bittersweet and ridiculously fast. Not every chapter turns out the way you planned – but you can still be incredibly grateful you got to live it.

28. Are You With Me – Lost Frequencies

And now we lighten things up again. Less analysing life, more actually going out there and living the damn thing. This song always makes me feel as if I’m holidaying in Europe during a long carefree summer.

29. Beautiful Day – U2

Don’t get so distracted by everything that could be better that you forget to notice what’s already good. Sometimes the richer life you’re chasing is sitting right there in front of you.

30. On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons

You know what? Sometimes things actually go RIGHT. Please enjoy those moments instead of immediately moving the goalposts and looking for the next thing to fix.

31. A Million Dreams – The Greatest Showman

Every dream starts out as something only you can see. Let yourself imagine wildly before your sensible brain arrives with its clipboard and starts explaining why it probably won’t work.

32. Wake Me Up – Avicii

You don’t have to have your whole life figured out before you start living it. Sometimes you understand where you were going only after you’ve already arrived.

33. The Nights – Avicii

Go make some memories while you can. One day these ordinary nights, adventures and slightly ridiculous decisions will become the stories you’re so glad you have to tell.

34. A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay

Not every song needs to teach you a profound life lesson. Some just make the world feel bigger, brighter and a little more magical – and I think we need plenty of those too.

35. The Edge of Glory – Lady Gaga

Big, bold, glorious energy for those moments when you’re standing right on the edge of something new. At some point you have to stop hovering at the edge and step into it.

36. Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now – Starship

Put this on when you’ve made a big decision and need approximately four minutes of completely unreasonable confidence. Sometimes that’s all the pep talk you need.

37. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey

Of course this had to be here. Because sometimes the only thing separating this isn’t working from oh my God, it worked is believing for a little bit longer.

38. It’s My Life – Bon Jovi

If this playlist had a thesis statement, this might be it. It’s your life, it’s happening NOW, and nobody else gets to decide what you do with it.

39. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves

Pure joy. Turn it up, sing badly, dance around the kitchen and remember that feeling ridiculously happy for no particular reason is a perfectly worthwhile use of your time.

40. I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston

Your life is not one giant self-improvement project. Dance. Laugh. Connect. Have fun. Enjoy being a human for goodness’ sake.

41. Best Day of My Life – American Authors

A big, joyful reminder not to save all your excitement for some future version of your life. There’s a life happening right now too – go make today one you’re glad you got to live.

You can follow my playlist HERE.

Now I’d love to hear from you – what’s on your list?

Please also send me the songs that make you feel inspired, hopeful, or just plain unstoppable. I’m always looking for new music suggestions.

With love,

Frances xxx