Gives you the power to face challenges! Inspiring words of courage from great and famous people.
Have you ever wished for courage when you want to achieve your dreams or goals, when a major obstacle stands in your way, or when you want to break through the status quo—any time you need to overcome something?
Of course, it might be best if you could resolve everything with your own strength, but it’s reassuring to have something that supports your heart or gives you a little push forward.
So this time, we’ve compiled a list of inspiring words from great figures and famous people that will give you courage!
I hope this helps you even a little—please take a look!
- It’s sure to resonate most with those who are striving! Words of encouragement from great figures and famous people.
- Just remembering them fills you with courage! Striking quotes that touch the heart from great figures and famous people
- Words to remember when you feel like running away—phrases to rally a weakened heart.
- When you’re feeling unmotivated! Inspiring words from great figures and famous people
- [Heart-Touching] Quotes That Keep You Going Anytime! Fiery Words That Push You Forward
- Beautiful words by great and famous people that illuminate life
- Guaranteed to move you! Memorable words by great figures and famous people.
- To my present self! Memorable, uplifting words and the source of courage to change myself
- Encouraging quotes for when you're feeling down. Words that give you the strength to rise again.
- A collection of quotes that cheer on your challenges—words that give you strength.
- Even a single word can save your heart! Uplifting, happy words that make you feel positive
- When your tension or motivation is low! Short phrases to boost your motivation
- Words from great and famous people that make you forget negativity in an instant!
Gives you the power to face challenges! Courage-inspiring words from great and famous people (71–80)
The goddess of fate favors those who act boldly.Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian political thinker known for advocating a realist political theory that politics should be considered separately from religion and morality.
His famous saying, “Fortune favors the bold,” can give us courage to face challenges.
Those who do nothing will never encounter opportunities, but taking action brings change and progress—doesn’t it? It’s a message I hope people who lack confidence in their initiative will adopt as a personal motto.
There is no piece that cannot move forward.Makoto Nakahara
Shogi player Makoto Nakahara, who holds five Lifetime Titles and also served as president of the Japan Shogi Association.
His famous saying, “There is no piece that cannot move forward,” truly reflects the unique perspective of a professional shogi player.
The eight types of pieces used in shogi each have different characteristics, but whether a piece is weak or strong, they all share the ability to move forward.
The message that anyone can make progress regardless of their abilities or circumstances can be a great source of courage for those on the verge of breaking.
It’s a quote to remember before you give up on something.
Whether one is large or small, it is important to keep one’s heart straight and not be bound by one’s own conditions.Miyamoto Musashi
NBA superstar Allen Iverson is about 180 cm tall.
In a league where many players are over 2 meters, he was quite small—or rather, the kind of height that makes anyone think, “That’s a bit… to succeed in the NBA.” When he won the scoring title and said, “If you worry about size, you’ll never get good at basketball,” it was an absolutely electrifying line.
Seeing Musashi’s words reminded me of that.
To say that one’s current circumstances have nothing to do with the way of the sword—indeed, with one’s life—is truly admirable.
I want to cherish this kind of positive mindset.
Gives you the power to face challenges! Courage-boosting quotes from great and famous people (81–90)
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.
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.
Napoleon slept only three hours a night. There’s no reason I can’t accomplish what he could through effort.Hideyo Noguchi
These words express a strong resolve not to set limits on one’s effort.
Even great figures achieved success through extraordinary, sustained effort, and there is no reason we cannot do the same—this is the determination embedded here.
Of course, not everyone needs to push themselves on short sleep, but when you feel tempted to slack off, recalling this saying will naturally sharpen your focus.
Effort matters more than talent, and you can accumulate as much of it as you choose.
It’s a quote that gives you the power to go beyond your limits.
There are two things you can change: yourself and the future.Hideyo Noguchi
These words convey the importance of focusing not on the unchangeable past or circumstances, but on your own actions and the future ahead.
Everyone has moments when they want to blame past failures or their environment, but that won’t move anything forward.
It is the present self that creates the future, and the path can change dramatically depending on your actions.
Hideyo Noguchi also refused to be defeated by difficult circumstances and opened up his future by continually improving himself.
Even when you find yourself dwelling on the past, this quote gives you the courage to believe that you have the power to change the future.