Wonderful quotes and sayings

Quotes on Effort: A curated selection of passionate messages left by great figures and famous people

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.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

To achieve our goals, to live better lives, and to become our ideal selves…

we are tested on our “effort” in many situations.

However, there are times when we grow tired of constantly striving, or when we can no longer find meaning in our efforts.

In this article, we’ve gathered quotes about “effort” from great figures and famous people.

Reading these quotes reminds us that the achievements of those we call geniuses were possible precisely because of their effort.

Take in these powerful messages and put them to use from here on out!

[Quotes on Effort] A carefully selected collection of passionate messages left by great figures and famous people (121–130)

Do not abandon the hero within your soul.Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche: "Do not abandon the hero that dwells within your soul." #shorts

Do not abandon the hero within your soul. —Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche, a classical philologist often interpreted as a representative thinker of existentialism.

His famous words, “Do not abandon the hero in your soul,” convey the importance of valuing yourself.

Everyone possesses talents and potential within, but when we compare ourselves to others or face a string of setbacks, our spirits can break.

However, if you give up on yourself, that’s when everything truly ends.

These words teach us to believe in ourselves to the very end.

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Hoshino Takashi

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If you work hard, will you be rewarded? That’s not it. You keep working hard until you’re rewarded.Lionel Messi

Messi’s famous quote: If you work hard, will you be rewarded? That’s not it—you keep working hard until you’re rewarded. #QuoteSeries #Quotes #WordsOfGreatPeople

If you work hard, will you be rewarded? That’s not it. You keep working hard until you’re rewarded. Lionel Messi

Watch on YouTube: “If you work hard, will you be rewarded? That’s not it. You keep working hard until you’re rewarded. — Lionel Messi”

An athlete from Argentina often called the greatest soccer player of all time, Lionel Messi.

His message, “Do you succeed if you work hard? That’s not it—you work hard until you succeed,” truly reflects a career in which he has won countless titles in soccer.

You can’t reach your dreams without effort, yet it’s also true that not everyone who works hard will achieve their dreams.

Even so, this quote pushes us forward, reminding us that as long as we’re pursuing our dreams, we must keep putting in the effort.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Train for a thousand days to forge yourself; train for ten thousand days to refine yourself.Miyamoto Musashi

Regard a thousand days of practice as forging, and ten thousand days of practice as tempering. (Miyamoto Musashi: swordsman)

Train for a thousand days to forge yourself; train for ten thousand days to refine yourself. — Miyamoto Musashi

Watch “Train for a thousand days to forge yourself; train for ten thousand days to refine yourself. — Miyamoto Musashi” on YouTube

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.

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Taki no namida pin ku

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I don’t dislike headwinds—in fact, I’m grateful for them. Without headwinds, you can’t move on to the next step in anything.Ichiro

“I can’t help but do it.” A single phrase that pierces the heart [Ichiro] #quotes #effort #motivation #Ichiro

I don’t dislike headwinds—in fact, I’m grateful for them. Without headwinds, you can’t move on to the next step in anything. Ichiro

Watch on YouTube: “I don’t dislike headwinds—in fact, I’m grateful for them. Without headwinds, you can’t move on to the next step in anything. —Ichiro”

An athlete who has excelled in professional baseball both in Japan and abroad, Ichiro has served since 2018 as a special assistant to the chairman and an instructor for the Seattle Mariners.

His famous quote, “I don’t dislike headwinds; I’m grateful for them.

Without headwinds, you can’t move on to the next step,” perfectly embodies the presence of someone who has achieved so many great feats.

The message that headwinds are the very key to growth encourages us to view difficulties in a positive light.

It’s a quote to remember when your spirit is about to break—one that gives you the courage to stand up again.

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Hoshino Takashi

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No matter what happens, let’s make sure we never say the word “painful.”Shinsaku Takasugi

[Japanese History HIPHOP] Takasugi Shinsaku: Founder of the Kiheitai – The Story of Choshu’s Thunderbolt | Japanese hip-hop with dancehall fusion

何があっても、「つらい」という言葉だけは絶対に口にしないでおこう。— 高杉晋作

Watch “No matter what happens, let’s make sure we never say the word ‘painful.’ Shinsaku Takasugi” on YouTube

Shinsaku Takasugi was a samurai who was active at the end of the Edo period as a proponent of the Sonnō Jōi movement and is also known for founding groups like the Kiheitai.

His famous quote, “No matter what happens, let’s never say the word ‘painful’,” is a message that could only come from someone who lived through such tumultuous times.

When you’re striving toward an enormous goal, it’s natural to face hardships and suffering.

But once you put that into words, doesn’t it make the burden feel even heavier? It’s a quintessentially Japanese maxim that values endurance as a virtue and cherishes the power of words.

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Hoshino Takashi

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