Quotes on Effort: A Carefully Selected Collection of Passionate Messages from Great and Famous Figures (31–40)
Life doesn’t create dreams. Dreams create life.Shohei Ohtani
It means that how you spend each day changes depending on the dreams you have.
Rather than just drifting through life, it’s because you have a dream of “I want to become this” that you make an effort and the path you choose changes.
For example, if you dream of becoming a professional baseball player, you’ll get up early to practice and take care of your health.
Even in your studies, if you have a dream like “I want to do this kind of work in the future,” you’ll feel motivated to work hard in subjects you’re not good at.
Dreams aren’t just wishes; they teach us that they have the power to shape our future.
Whether big or small, having a dream is a step that moves your life forward.
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.
Sometimes you need to practice intensely without overthinking it.Seiji Hirao
These are words said to be about the direction of training by Seiji Hirao, who is also known as a rugby legend.
Basically, technical and logical practice is important, but he says that at times training that goes beyond pure rationality is necessary.
By deliberately making practice tough and developing the mental strength to endure hardship, that experience becomes a source of support for the heart.
It also conveys the importance of a broad mindset—the idea that, at times, unreasonable circumstances can become a catalyst for growth.
Effort is always rewarded. If there is effort that isn’t rewarded, then it can’t yet be called effort.Sadaharu Oh
No matter how hard you try, things still don’t go well… At times like that, it might simply mean you haven’t put in enough effort yet.
Sadaharu Oh—who achieved numerous great feats in his playing days and later managed the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Japan national team—may be speaking from the weight of the effort behind his accomplishments.
While he suggests that seemingly unrewarded effort might still be lacking, there’s hope in his belief that effort will surely be rewarded.
If you’re struggling without seeing results, let these words give you the strength to push just one step further.
The distance you’ve run will never betray you.Mizuki Noguchi
Mizuki Noguchi, the marathon runner who won a gold medal at the Athens Olympics.
This quote teaches us that effort and the volume of training we put in will never betray us—they’re truly meaningful.
You can sense both the great distances she must have run in pursuit of gold and the strength of her will.
Even when we have a goal, it isn’t easy to keep putting in the effort, but knowing this quote makes us realize that steady, persistent work is what really matters and gives us a reason to believe in ourselves.
When you feel like stopping, remember these words and try rekindling your inner fire once more.
Don’t rush, don’t panic, don’t give up. Precisely because of all you’ve built upSara Takanashi
It’s a famous quote that teaches us the importance of an unwavering spirit and steadily putting in the hard work especially when times are tough.
These are the words of ski jumper Sara Takanashi, spoken when she finally won at a Nordic Ski World Cup after a season of struggles without many victories.
When our efforts don’t seem to pay off, anyone can feel anxious—but it may be precisely then that it’s vital to keep moving forward, step by step, along the path you believe in.
When things aren’t going well and you feel lost, remember this quote.
Fight with soul, every single throw.Sayaka Yoshimura
Japan’s women’s curling team fought hard, but sadly couldn’t advance past the preliminary round.
Even after elimination was confirmed, Sayaka Yoshimura vowed to give her all in the remaining two games—such passionate words.
Ever since first attempting to reach the Olympics in high school, competing at the Games has been her long-held dream.
Stories about her determination are endless, such as “I was so frustrated I didn’t watch the Sochi Olympics on TV,” and “I went all the way to the Pyeongchang venue to fire myself up, telling myself I want to stand here.” She must be someone driven by an Olympic passion stronger than anyone else’s.
We must win/earn every single step ahead of us.Florence Nightingale
This quote by Florence Nightingale teaches us the mindset needed to achieve our dreams and goals.
In a world full of temptations, it can be very difficult to keep putting in the effort.
We tend to think, “I can do it tomorrow,” or “Skipping a day is fine,” don’t we? However, if we can’t do the one task right in front of us, we’ll never reach our dreams or goals—because each and every one of those tasks matters.
Remember: to fulfill high ideals, we must devote ourselves to steady daily practice.
