Words from famous people that I’d like to adopt as my motto. Inspiring quotes that convey the power of words.
Just like the many great figures who have left their mark on history, celebrities—such as singers, actors, comedians, and athletes—have also left behind a variety of memorable quotes.
In this article, we introduce words spoken by such celebrities that you may want to adopt as your personal motto.
We’ve gathered not only words they offered to those in distress, but also phrases they voiced to spur themselves on.
You’ll surely be moved by the words of people who have overcome countless hardships and continued to strive.
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Words from famous people you'd like to make your motto. Inspiring quotes that convey the power of words (61–70)
To see what is right and not do it is a lack of courage.Confucius
Confucius, a philosopher from China’s Spring and Autumn period and known as the founder of Confucianism.
His famous saying, “To see what is right and not do it is a lack of courage,” means that failing to do what one ought to do as a human being stems from a deficiency of courage.
Even in everyday life, helping those in need is something we naturally should do as people, yet don’t we sometimes pretend not to notice out of embarrassment or similar feelings? This saying reminds us of the reality that there are people who could be saved if only we mustered the courage.
If you have no failures in life, you fail at life.Shigeta Saitō
Known by the nickname “Mota-san,” psychiatrist Shigeta Saito was also active as an essayist and public speaker.
His famous saying, “If you have no failures in life, you will fail in life,” is a message that warns us about the pitfalls of perfectionism.
No one wants to fail, and we tend to think that piling up only successes will make us happy.
However, if we keep pushing forward without ever experiencing failure, our hearts may break when we face difficulties we’ve never encountered before.
This quote reminds us that those who accumulate all kinds of experiences—knowing both success and failure—are the ones who ultimately succeed.
Only by living desperately does one’s life shine.Oda Nobunaga
Lord Oda Nobunaga, a warlord counted among the Three Unifiers of the Sengoku period for his innovative political methods.
From his famous saying, “It is only by living desperately that one’s life shines,” we can truly sense the very essence of Oda Nobunaga’s life.
Not only should we act energetically with dreams and goals, but it is by throwing ourselves wholeheartedly into the act of living itself that our lives gain profound meaning.
This message teaches us that such a way of living becomes the proof that we truly lived and allows us to create a life uniquely our own, unlike anyone else’s.
In the Way of strategy, let your state of mind never depart from your ordinary mind.Miyamoto Musashi
I’ve heard that Mr.
Masayuki Kakefu—known as “Mr.
Tigers”—always adds the words “calm mind” to his autograph.
It’s a phrase that truly reflects him, someone who discovered proper batting on the far side of tension and excitement.
The words by Miyamoto Musashi quoted here also teach the importance of maintaining a calm mind.
You probably get nervous too—during school tests, company presentations, and the like.
When you’re facing such unusual situations, remember these words.
Your heart will feel lighter, and you’ll surely overcome the challenge!
The heart never strays from the Way.Miyamoto Musashi
Many of the disciplines regarded as traditionally Japanese—such as kendo, judo, and aikido—include the character for “dō” (the Way) in their names.
And although they are not sports, ikebana (kado), the tea ceremony (sado), and kōdō (the way of incense) also use this character.
This may be a somewhat self-serving interpretation, but I suspect Japanese people applied the character “dō” to practices that require long years of training.
Of course, Miyamoto Musashi’s “dō” refers to the Way of swordsmanship.
To think of nothing but that, whatever one is doing—this strikes me as a grand word that encapsulates Musashi himself.
I honor the gods and buddhas, yet I do not rely on them.Miyamoto Musashi
Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year, is the main event of New Year’s.
Which shrine did you go to this year? You could avoid the crowds by shifting the date a bit, but somehow you still want to go on New Year’s Day.
Even if you pray for success in getting into university, you’re the one who has to study hard.
This straightforward lesson is among the most famous of Miyamoto Musashi’s quotes, arguably in the top one or two.
It often appears in calligraphy and on hanging scrolls, and if you’re mindful, you’ll likely spot it in many places, such as inns and training lodges.
Take the sky as a road, and see the road as the sky.Miyamoto Musashi
An unexpectedly popular character from the manga Fist of the North Star is Juuza of the Clouds.
His free-spirited personality must have made him a beloved figure.
When you’re going to school or work every day, there are days when everything just feels unbearable.
You might even want to quit living a life that runs on rails someone else laid down.
At times like that, please remember these words from Musashi.
They’ll make your heart take wing and give you the feeling you can walk your path freely.
“It’s up to you to decide how you live.” It almost feels as if he’s gently teaching us even that.
In the Way, one thinks without shunning death.Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi can be called a master who perfected the way of the sword, and among his famous sayings is this: one must not fear death in the pursuit of one’s own path.
I imagine that many of you reading this have, even if not on such a grand scale, tried to stick to some path or conviction of your own.
Musashi tells us that in such times, it is vital to throw yourself into it with everything you have, to see it through and master it.
Doing so helps a person grow and elevates that path into something more noble.
A genius is someone who studies three, four, even five times harder than anyone else.Hideyo Noguchi
These words express Hideyo Noguchi’s belief that it is effort—not talent or innate intelligence—that produces results.
Even those called geniuses are, behind the scenes, often working harder than anyone else.
Confronting poverty and the aftereffects of a severe burn, he studied more diligently than anyone to achieve his dreams.
If you wish to accomplish something, this teaches that rather than dwelling on whether you have talent, you must first be prepared to put in many times more effort than others.
It conveys the idea that making an effort is the only way to surpass your own limits.
Train for a thousand days to forge yourself; train for ten thousand days to refine yourself.Miyamoto Musashi
Have you ever been on a diet? You start out thinking, “I’m going to lose weight!” but the reality is, it’s hard to keep it up, isn’t it? Not just dieting—studying, strength training, journaling—why is it so hard to continue? It’s almost baffling.
When I came across this quote by Miyamoto Musashi, I felt the weight of the word ‘discipline,’ and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
For Musashi, continuing something—discipline—is not mere practice; it’s already in the realm of rigorous training.
You set an ideal you can never fully attain, and you discipline yourself to get closer to it.
These are words that will resonate especially with those who are single-mindedly doing their best.