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!
Gives you the power to face challenges! Inspiring words from great and famous people (11–20)
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.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.
Don’t listen to others’ expectations. Live your own life and meet your own expectations.Tiger Woods
Support often gives us strength, but excessive expectations can turn into pressure.
This quote from Tiger Woods teaches us that rather than carrying others’ expectations to achieve something, it’s important to listen to your own inner voice—what you want to do and how you want to live.
It’s natural to want to live up to the encouragement and expectations of those you care about, but if they become a burden, the results are unlikely to be good.
Your life is yours.
Please walk straight down the path you truly wish to take.
What matters is not practice, but the passion for practice.Pelé
Which is better: practicing just because you’re vaguely told to, or practicing hard with a clear goal in mind? Pelé, called the King of Soccer and admired by players and fans around the world—he captivated so many people precisely because, true to these words, he kept practicing tirelessly with passion, scored countless goals, and became a beloved figure worldwide.
Spending time on practice is sometimes important, but even more important, he teaches us, is approaching practice with your heart fully invested and your soul in it.
Impossible is not a fact, but an opinion.Muhammad Ali
These are words that seem to embody the relentless drive toward results, spoken by the champion Muhammad Ali, a legend in the world of boxing.
They convey the idea that “impossible” stems from preconceptions and weakness of will, and that if we keep a spirit of challenge, anything can be transformed into the possible.
By refusing to set limits and continuing to face challenges, anything becomes achievable, leading to great outcomes.
They are powerful words that evoke an attitude of fighting on without excuses and the strength of will to keep doing so.
Expectations aren’t something to meet, but to exceed.Shohei Ohtani
It teaches a positive mindset that aims not just to meet what others ask of you, but to go beyond.
Instead of stopping at “this is good enough,” it emphasizes the importance of continually pushing yourself with the belief that “I can do more.” For example, when people expect you to “get a hit,” you don’t settle for a hit—you work with the determination to go for a home run.
In studying, too, rather than thinking “as long as I pass,” you challenge yourself to “do my very best,” which leads to growth.
These words gently show a way of thinking that turns expectations not into pressure, but into an opportunity to develop yourself.
Winning or losing is a small thing. What matters is whether you gave it your all.Shuzo Matsuoka
People often say that in the world of competition, results are everything, but former professional tennis player Shuzo Matsuoka says that such a notion is trivial.
Of course, he doesn’t mean that results don’t matter at all; rather, there is something more important.
It’s how wholeheartedly you face the contest.
What makes you grow and become stronger is the process leading up to taking on the challenge.
Regardless of the outcome, by giving your all to something and seeing it through, you can cultivate true strength, can’t you?
You should be honest with your feelings.Hideo Nomo
These are words from Hideo Nomo, who had a successful career as a professional baseball player, speaking about the importance of staying true to your own convictions.
They’re known as words he shared when he was preparing to take on Major League Baseball, expressing an attitude of believing in yourself and embracing the challenge.
A key point is that many around him reacted critically to his attempt to go to the Majors, yet he forged ahead and succeeded precisely because he moved forward in that situation.
Above all, it teaches a credo of prioritizing your resolve and moving ahead so you won’t have regrets—a memorable quote about that stance.
If you can’t believe in yourself, who will?Kei Nishikori
These words, exemplified by tennis player Kei Nishikori and many other athletes, express the mindset of believing in yourself and fighting to the end.
They powerfully convey that charging forward with the conviction that you can deliver results is what truly brings out your abilities.
In this way, they communicate that unless you believe in yourself, you cannot perform at your best—rather than seeking others’ belief, you should take on challenges with confidence.
It’s a message that conveys not only competing against an opponent, but also battling with yourself.
