100 Notable Quotes from The Energy Bus for Schools by Jon Gordon and Dr. Jim Van Allan

Schools today are fighting an uphill battle against burnout, negativity, and exhaustion. In The Energy Bus for Schools, Jon Gordon and Dr. Jim Van Allan offer an essential blueprint for reversing that trend. By shifting the focus toward positive energy, shared vision, and deep interpersonal connection, the authors demonstrate how a united staff can fundamentally transform a school’s culture. This high-impact philosophy is not about ignoring problems; it is about outfitting educators with the tools to confront “energy vampires,” align around core values, and ultimately cultivate a campus where both teachers and students thrive.

Why Reading Quotes Matters

Reading curated quotes provides a “distilled wisdom” effect. Jon Gordon’s writing style is famously aphoristic—packing profound leadership insights into easily digestible and memorable sentences. Dr. Jim Van Allan grounds these concepts directly in the reality of K-12 education. Extracting their core ideas allows leaders and educators to internalize the overarching philosophy quickly, utilizing these short principles as daily mantras to combat negativity and anchor their campus culture.

About the Authors

Jon Gordon has inspired millions of readers globally as the author of 28 books, including 15 bestsellers like The Energy Bus, The Power of Positive Leadership, and The Carpenter. His work focuses heavily on developing positive leaders, organizations, and teams, making him a premier thought leader in organizational culture.

Dr. Jim Van Allan is the President of The Energy Bus for Schools program, which equips schools with the frameworks needed to build positive cultures. With a Ph.D. in education leadership, his research specifically targets the impact of sustainable professional development in schools. Together, Gordon and Van Allan blend theoretical leadership concepts with practical, boots-on-the-ground educational strategies, creating actionable roadmaps for school districts nationwide.

The 100 Quotes

1. “The desire to be a speaker and impact the world has been a driving force my entire life.”
2. “Just like I am living my dream now as a speaker and author, your dream culture is just ahead.”
3. “No one goes through life untested, but the answer is to always stay positive with a spirit of vision, trust, and optimism.”
4. “It’s an ongoing process to improve your school culture.”
5. “The team is the star when it comes to making a school vision a reality.”
6. “Everyone in the building understands they are part of the culture, and they help create it.”
7. “The Energy Bus truly helps you create a positive and strong school culture.”
8. “Mindset and mentality are two driving factors in staff, students, and school leadership.”
9. “With your vision set and positive mindset in place, it’s important to realize that schools are in the positive people business.”
10. “Human beings need to be nurtured, loved, guided, supported, and encouraged.”
11. “No matter how much love and unity you have, negativity will still find a way in.”
12. “It’s all about purpose which is the ultimate fuel for a positive campus culture and is essential in avoiding burnout.”
13. “Knowing your why and understanding how it helps enhance a positive campus culture is key.”
14. “In the end, the process to improve your school culture is about bringing people together with a shared mission.”
15. “The goal is to create a fleet of bus drivers.”
16. “Remember, you’re driving the bus, George… But as you drive you want to keep asking people to get on.”
17. “The goal is to eventually have a standing room only bus and since this is an energy bus it is always expanding so you’ll always be able to add more people.”
18. “Culture is not one thing; it is everything and it requires everyone.”
19. “To build a great culture you must invite your team on the bus and get them to work as a team.”
20. “Creating a positive school culture is a collective process.”
21. “One person cannot continuously drive a positive culture. Trying to do so leads to burnout.”
22. “The key is to build a team that creates success together—and have more fun on the bus—as you pursue excellence.”
23. “A school staff is comprised of people from different generations, backgrounds, ethnicities, and experience levels.”
24. “Staff members will not get on the bus automatically; they need to be invited on the bus.”
25. “There is something truly powerful about a group of people going through a shared experience.”
26. “Staff members feel a sense of belonging and pride in accomplishing something together.”
27. “People bond over a feeling of unity and togetherness.”
28. “When your staff gets on the bus together, they are ready to make a positive impact as ONE!”
29. “Common language like this builds bonds between people.”
30. “Leaders set the tone and share the vision. That is a big part of their job.”
31. “Share your vision with heart, enthusiasm, and passion.”
32. “The leadership team at a school consist of the key bus drivers who will make your school a success.”
33. “Be clever with engagement to show the staff that it is more fun on the bus then waiting at the bus stop.”
34. “Improving school culture is not easy, and the challenges are real inside our schools.”
35. “No one creates success alone, and when schools get on the bus together, they are on their way to creating a positive future.”
36. “Building a positive culture is a journey that takes time, effort, and a lot of intentionality.”
37. “Everyone creates the culture, and the culture impacts everyone.”
38. “The character of our students can be shaped by the culture of a school.”
39. “Culture always starts at the top with the leader and then it comes to life with input from everyone in the school.”
40. “Culture doesn’t happen by accident.”
41. “To build a great culture, you must know what you stand for.”
42. “They know that culture beats strategy every time because the best plans are pointless without the staff nurturing the appropriate culture.”
43. “When you know what you stand for, decisions are easier to make.”
44. “Schools must find ways to live and breathe their core values.”
45. “Core values come to life when everyone involved with your culture knows what they are and ingrains in them who they are and what they are expected to do each day.”
46. “A big part of the leader’s job is to remind everyone what the core values are so they can make sure to consistently focus on them and live and breathe what they stand for.”
47. “What we see and experience daily play large roles in what we think about and become.”
48. “The mind is a pivotal tool to dictate success and should be nurtured and reinforced with positive symbolism all around us.”
49. “Schools cannot expect a mission statement or poster to be lived if it is not being reinforced.”
50. “Cultural symbols allow a group that shares the same beliefs to identify and celebrate those beliefs with these symbols.”
51. “Culture is not a one time thing. It’s an all the time mission.”
52. “It all starts with positive habits, which lead to positive results.”
53. “We must fuel up daily with positive thoughts, cultivate positive feelings, and take positive actions.”
54. “Positive energy is all about these things. Without it your ride will stall.”
55. “Positive energy cascades and spreads and transfers to others.”
56. “Since leadership is a transfer of belief, school leaders and teachers must focus on getting their heads and hearts in the right place.”
57. “If you don’t have positivity you can’t share it.”
58. “When we invest in ourselves, we are better able to invest in others.”
59. “The brain is an antenna, and we must tune into the positive each day instead of the negative.”
60. “Research shows you can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time.”
61. “What you focus on shows up more in your life. What you look for, you will find.”
62. “What we believe so often determines what we create.”
63. “Optimism and belief are the fuel that positive school leaders need to drive results and create the future.”
64. “The best part about positivity, optimism, and belief is that it’s contagious.”
65. “Negative thoughts often come from fear and fear often lies to us.”
66. “A staff that believes together, succeeds together.”
67. “A school staff that believes it can collectively impact students is vital for the health of a school and student success.”
68. “If a school staff believes it can make a difference, then it does.”
69. “A belief in creating a positive culture and fueling your ride with positive energy produces extraordinary results.”
70. “If they feel cared for, they will share more.”
71. “When you focus on what students are doing right, they will do more things right more often.”
72. “Your team wants to know that you are concerned about their future and welfare.”
73. “Loving and caring are the ultimate ways you fuel your staff and students with positive energy.”
74. “A visible presence will work to build trust.”
75. “When you make time for your relationships, your relationships will make your school stronger and better.”
76. “Intentional habits that build relationships are the social glue for a culture to develop.”
77. “When applied consistently and with intentionality, social glue is what holds a campus together.”
78. “Love and education can and should coexist.”
79. “Love helps to bind and unite people together.”
80. “Communication is the foundation upon which great relationships are built and great relationships help build great cultures.”
81. “When you add collaboration to your communication, you supercharge your relationships and culture.”
82. “Listening is a mental process, while hearing is a physical process.”
83. “When someone feels understood and truly heard, they feel loved.”
84. “When you practice good communication, it leads to greater connection, love, and collaboration.”
85. “The important thing is to know how to deal with the negativity and what to do with it.”
86. “If negativity is left unchecked, it can sabotage everything leaders and their school have worked toward.”
87. “Removing negativity begins with your culture and discussing the costs and harmful impact of negativity.”
88. “We can’t let negativity ruin our mission.”
89. “If children don’t feel safe, they can’t learn.”
90. “Many issues stem from unmet needs.”
91. “Energy vampires exist because something is driving them to be negative.”
92. “Negativity always wants to live in the shadows, in the corners, and behind people’s backs.”
93. “When we bring it into the light, we address it, manage it, and move on.”
94. “Every complaint offers an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive.”
95. “Purpose is the ultimate fuel for our journey through life.”
96. “We don’t get burned out because of what we do; we get burned out because we forget why we do it.”
97. “Every school has a mission statement, but only the great ones have teachers and staff on a mission.”
98. “Happiness comes not from the work we do, but from how we feel about the work we do.”
99. “It takes a team to build a great culture, work toward a vision, and live with a mission.”
100. “The phrase “The best is yet to come” means we never stop the journey of improvement.”

The 3 Most Important Quotes Explained

1. “They know that culture beats strategy every time because the best plans are pointless without the staff nurturing the appropriate culture.”

• The Breakdown: The most brilliant curriculum or administrative plan will fail if the environment is toxic. Strategy is the logical path forward, but culture dictates how people execute that path. By prioritizing relationships and unity, leaders build an unshakable foundation where initiatives can actually take root and succeed.

2. “What you focus on shows up more in your life. What you look for, you will find.”

• The Breakdown: This speaks to the psychological concept of cognitive framing. If educators constantly focus on the flaws of their students, administration, or district, they will drown in negativity. Training the brain to actively look for successes and practice gratitude effectively reprograms the mind to find optimism amid chaos.

3. “We don’t get burned out because of what we do; we get burned out because we forget why we do it.”

• The Breakdown: Teaching and leading in schools is inherently draining. However, exhaustion only morphs into true “burnout” when an educator loses touch with their core purpose. Regularly reconnecting with the “why”—the fundamental desire to impact the next generation—is the ultimate antidote to the daily grind of the educational profession.

Conclusion

Building a destination school isn’t a passive event; it is an active, daily crusade against apathy and negativity. The Energy Bus for Schools demands that every educator, from the principal to the newest hire, take ownership of their mindset and intentionally inject love and purpose into their classrooms. We have the power to transform our educational environments one interaction at a time.

Call to Action: Which of these 100 quotes hit closest to home for you today? Drop the number in the comments below and share how you plan to bring that “Energy Bus” principle to your school this week!