Wonderful quotes and sayings

One-line Quotes from Great Figures That Strike the Heart | A Collection of Words That Leave a Deep Impression

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.

Amid the layers of history, memorable quotes are born.

Often, the depths of those words carry the speaker’s feelings or even reflect their entire way of life.

Sometimes, words packed with hints—like the wisdom of our predecessors—can even save a life.

Precious words born from perspectives we can’t see ourselves, or from hard-won experience.

Among such wonderful sayings, I’ve picked out ones that are “simple” or just “a single phrase.”

Learning about the person behind the words and their origins will surely make you feel even more connected to them.

May they give you strength to live each day!

One-line Quotes from Great Minds That Strike the Heart | A Collection of Words Etched Deep in the Soul (11–20)

The person I aspire to be is myself.Yuzuru Hanyu (figure skater)

[Yuzuru Hanyu's Immortal World Record 'SEIMEI'] 2015 Grand Prix Final Men's Free in Barcelona – Full Performance #GPF2015 #figureskating #yuzuruhanyu #TamoriStation

The person I aspire to be is myself. — Yuzuru Hanyu (figure skater)

These are words Yuzuru Hanyu said in 2014, and at first glance many people might have thought, “What does that mean?” The phrase conveys the idea that he wasn’t aiming to be like some other skater, but was focused solely on improving himself.

You can feel the positive attitude of constantly striving to beat his personal best; perhaps it’s a statement only someone like him, performing at the very top of the figure skating world, could make.

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There is no piece that cannot move forward.Makoto Nakahara (Shogi Player)

Famous Quotes by Great Figures — Makoto Nakahara

There is no piece that cannot move forward. — Makoto Nakahara (shogi player)

These are the words of Makoto Nakahara, the 16th Meijin who was active as a professional shogi player from the Showa into the Heisei era.

He points out that while some shogi pieces—like the pawn, knight, and lance—cannot move backward, there are no pieces that cannot move forward.

Each piece has its own way of moving—one step straight ahead, diagonally, and so on—but all of them can move forward without fail.

This applies not only to shogi but also to our lives, giving us the courage to say, “I can move forward too!”

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The most important thing is to find what you love.NEW!Kobe Bryant

These are the words spoken by former professional basketball player Kobe Bryant at a press conference after his retirement.

Basketball was his life itself—he even described it as something he was born to play.

That’s why many people were worried about him after he retired.

But he did a lot of soul-searching and seems to have found a next phase he could embrace—something he loved.

It’s a quote that supports the heart when you’ve lost something precious or when the path you were meant to follow is cut off.

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Talent alone is not enough to become great. It takes hard work and dedication. If you’re not prepared to sacrifice something, you won’t gain anything.NEW!Kobe Bryant

It means that to achieve truly big goals, what matters is not just your natural talent but also daily effort and strong determination.

For example, even if you’re good at basketball, your progress will stop if you skip practice, right? You might cut back a little on time with friends to focus on training, and even when you’re tired, you don’t let yourself slack off.

That kind of effort and resolve is what helps your abilities grow.

It’s the same when it comes to studying or pursuing your dreams.

It gently teaches us that behind success lie unseen efforts and firm resolve.

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What I want to tell people around the world is to make an effort. If you put your heart into it, you can achieve anything.NEW!Cindy Ngamba

Here are some words I want to share with those striving toward their dreams and goals.

They come from Cindy Ngamba, the women’s 75 kg boxer.

Cindy Ngamba won a brilliant bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first medalist from the Refugee Olympic Team.

“What I want to tell people around the world is to work hard.

If you put your heart into it, you can achieve anything.” These words apply not only to sports but to everything in our daily lives.

From her message, you can feel her strong will and the grueling effort she puts in day after day—a powerful quote that pushes forward everyone who strives.

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A champion is defined not by how they act when they win, but by how they rise after they lose.NEW!Serena Williams

It means that true strength appears in how you act after a loss.

Anyone can celebrate when they win.

But it’s precisely when you’re frustrated by defeat and feel like your spirit might break that your real strength is tested.

For example, if you lose a game by a wide margin, the true champion isn’t the one who says, “I can’t do this anymore” and gives up, but the one who looks forward and keeps working, saying, “I’ll practice more for next time.” The same is true when you don’t get the test score you hoped for.

It gently teaches us that failure isn’t the end, but a chance to grow.

The courage to stand back up after losing is what leads to future victory.

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One-Line Quotes from Great Figures that Strike the Heart | A Collection of Words That Leave a Deep Mark on the Soul (21–30)

Always be yourself, express yourself, and believe in yourself. Don’t imitate some successful person’s example.NEW!Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee, a martial artist and movie star, is famous for films like Enter the Dragon and The Way of the Dragon.

His quotes often jolt us into realization.

When you lack confidence and don’t know what to do, do you find yourself comparing with or imitating those who seem better? Mimicking others might calm your nerves, but people are people, and you are you.

Imitation doesn’t always work—no matter what, you can’t become someone else.

Since each of us has our own individuality, the best thing is to trust yourself and express yourself in your own way.

This quote reminds us of that important truth.

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