RAG Music - Quote [Quotes on Effort] Carefully Selected Messages from Great Figures 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 / childminder kepiko 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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructor yuri 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!
Table of Contents Quotes on Effort: A curated selection of passionate messages left by great figures and famous people “Even if you can’t do it, it can’t be helped” is something to think after it’s over; if you think that along the way, you’ll never achieve it. Ichiro People who see their efforts as “effort” are generally mistaken. Sanma Akashiya Hard, painful efforts don’t bear fruit, but when the person is actually enjoying themselves—even if others just say, “You’re working hard”—those efforts do bear fruit. Miyazon You must never stop making your best effort to win. You must not run away. Sadaharu Oh Effort is always rewarded. If there is effort that isn’t rewarded, then it cannot yet be called effort. Sadaharu Oh If you can’t even make the effort to study, you’ll fail at everything. Kazlaser Do what needs to be done. Nothing more, nothing less. Masahiro Tanaka Instead of thinking “I hope it turns out like this,” think “It absolutely will. This is how it will be.” Hideki Kuriyama Do not neglect your daily preparation so you won’t miss opportunities. Yuto Nagatomo An athlete who touts their practice by saying “I’m working hard” cannot be called first-rate. Shigeo Nagashima 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration Thomas Alva Edison Without experiencing many sacrifices and hardships, one can never know what success truly is. Gandhi On cold days when nothing blooms, stretch your roots deeper and deeper. In time, a great flower will bloom. Naoko Takahashi No fence reading ‘No entry beyond this point’ can be put up in the face of great ambition, talent, and diligence. Ludwig van Beethoven Those who strive speak of hope; those who are lazy speak of complaints. Yasushi Inoue A strong will to never give up becomes the steps that carry you all the way to the summit. Narumi Takahashi The attitude of striving not to betray yourself will manifest as results in the future. Yoshiharu Habu If you have a clear dream and a clear goal, the path will surely open up. Mahatma Gandhi They say perseverance pays off, like sitting on a stone for three years. But you must not neglect the effort to master in one year what would normally take three. Konosuke Matsushita People who can keep putting in effort longer than others will inevitably succeed. And those who know how to apply their effort can achieve great success. Keisuke Honda A natural gift is something you’re born with. Talent is something you draw out. Coco Chanel The only way to reach an extraordinary place is by steadily piling up small efforts. Ichiro 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. Kobe Bryant 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 Everyone has talent. But it’s effort that makes talent blossom. Michael Jordan Impossible is not a fact, but an opinion. Muhammad Ali Prioritizing the team’s victory over personal glory ultimately leads to individual success as well. Lionel Messi There is no escape from effort. Love effort. Roger Federer There is no absolute champion. A champion is always a challenger. Kosuke Kitajima Believe in the 1% chance, believe in yourself, and believe in what you’ve done. Yuto Horigome Life doesn’t create dreams. Dreams create life. Shohei Ohtani Expectations aren’t something to meet, but to exceed. Shohei Ohtani Sometimes you need to practice intensely without overthinking it. Seiji Hirao Effort is always rewarded. If there is effort that isn’t rewarded, then it can’t yet be called effort. Sadaharu Oh The distance you’ve run will never betray you. Mizuki Noguchi We read “failure” as “success.” Katsuya Nomura Don’t rush, don’t panic, don’t give up. Precisely because of all you’ve built up Sara Takanashi Fight with soul, every single throw. Sayaka Yoshimura An indecisive leader can even be harmful. Yoshihide Suga We must win/earn every single step ahead of us. Florence Nightingale If you think you can, you can; if you think you can’t, you can’t. This is an unshakable, absolute law. Pablo Picasso No one ever regrets having done their best. George Halas Small steps of progress add up to great success. Mahatma Gandhi Genius is an ordinary person who makes an extraordinary effort. Albert Einstein Do not fear change. It is part of growth. Elon Musk As long as you keep challenging yourself, failure does not exist. Mark Zuckerberg Nothing is impossible. Muhammad Ali No one can beat someone who never gives up. Babe Ruth The mental strength to endure—to dig in with “One more step!” the very moment you think “I can’t go on”—cultivates an unbeatable power to overcome anything. Taihō Kōki I will defeat geniuses through hard work. Kisenosato Yutaka A professional never makes excuses, no matter what. Chiyonofuji Mitsugu Sweat you shed never lies Chiyonofuji Mitsugu Practice with a view to three years ahead. Be patient, thinking about five or ten years down the road. Taihō Kōki Because there was a humiliating defeat, my determination to absolutely win next time grew stronger. Kitanoumi Toshimitsu The fence isn’t built by others; it’s built by yourself. Aristotle We don’t make efforts to be rewarded. We do it so we don’t betray ourselves. Sanae Takaichi Only the weak are unable to forgive; forgiveness is a sign of strength. Gandhi Life only comes once, and I think everyone struggles and hesitates over many things when they’re young. But at such times—whether or not you can actually realize what you have in mind—I believe you should take the plunge. Yoshihide Suga The best way to pave the road to success is through effort and diligence, and by focusing on what is going well rather than on what isn’t. Do not be easily satisfied—whether with yourself or with anything else. Even when the wind is against you, grit your teeth and refuse to compromise. I succeeded because I never made excuses and never allowed them. Florence Nightingale One of the most important things is to never give up easily. Strive not for success, but to become a person of value. Albert Einstein Something might happen even to those who merely wait, but it will be only the leftovers from those who made the effort. Abraham Lincoln Something might happen to those who only wait, but it will be nothing more than the leftovers of those who made an effort. Lincoln The key to making your dreams come true is to want them like crazy. Kansai Yamamoto Any genius is born of passion. Isaac D'Israeli It’s in the moments you decide that your destiny is shaped. Anthony Robbins I kept telling myself that everything I was studying was for my goal. Miles Davis To challenge yourself is to grow. LeBron James Don’t rush. But don’t give up. Shigeta Saitō If other people can do it, there’s no way you can’t. From Fujiko Fujio's Doraemon If you don’t give up, there will always be a way. Always. Sakichi Toyoda To learn is to enrich one’s life. Albert Einstein It is not noble to be superior to others. Ernest Hemingway What matters is getting back up every time you fail. Winston Churchill Not being satisfied is the best technique for improving your ability. Wayne Gretzky If you stay focused, you can overcome any obstacle. Warren Buffett Knowledge is a weapon. The question is how you use it. Eminem If you believe in yourself, there are no limits. Cristiano Ronaldo Obstacles before you are opportunities. By facing difficulties, you can grow. Kevin Durant There is only one way to succeed: never give up. Jeff Bezos To solve a problem, don’t run away from it. Jack Dorsey You only realize your own strength once you’ve overcome your anxieties and concerns. Serena Williams It’s never too late to start something. Bill Gates Knowledge is power. Francis Bacon Even if I face setbacks, I don’t lose my pride—that’s because I’m putting in the effort. Shigeo Nagashima A person who studies three, four, even five times more than anyone else—that is a genius. Hideyo Noguchi If you can dream it, you can achieve it. Walt Disney It takes time for effort to show results. Many people get bored, waver, and give up before then. Henry Ford Those who do not advance will surely retreat, and those who do not retreat will surely advance. Yukichi Fukuzawa If you keep putting in the effort over enough time, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish. Helen Keller To become the best in the world, you need world-class effort. Keisuke Honda You don’t need to worry about having fallen. What matters is how you get back up from there. Abraham Lincoln Without goals and plans, no amount of effort and courage will do you any good. John F. Kennedy Don’t listen to people who say, “You can’t do it.” If you want to accomplish something yourself, and you fail, don’t blame others—take responsibility yourself. Magic Johnson Suppose there’s a wall that will break if you hit it 100 times. But since no one knows how many hits it takes, they give up partway through—even when they’ve already made it to the 99th hit. Shuzo Matsuoka Our lives are worth only as much as the effort we put into them. François Mauriac The only kind of “doping” I know is just one thing: hard work. Roberto Baggio Once you have set your aspiration, take only those measures that advance you toward it, and never allow yourself to falter. Even if you cannot achieve your goal, you should be prepared to die on the path toward it. Ryotaro Shiba ...to be continued Quotes on Effort: A curated selection of powerful messages left by great figures and notable people (81–90) Obstacles before you are opportunities. By facing difficulties, you can grow. Kevin Durant Words from Kevin Durant, who has experienced numerous scoring records and championships in the NBA.
Having survived in an intensely competitive world, he understands the meaning of hardship deeply.
When faced with a wall in your studies, many people want to avoid it—but that very wall can become a chance to grow.
By tackling difficult tasks, you cultivate your thinking and perseverance.
It’s often the tough situations, more than the smooth times, that help a person grow.
This quote presents a perspective that views obstacles positively and shifts our mindset toward growth.
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There is only one way to succeed: never give up. Jeff Bezos Jeff Bezos, who founded a global company and transformed the nature of business, left words that convey his unwavering resolve—accepting failure and criticism without stopping.
When studying, there are times when results don’t show, and you may question the meaning of your efforts.
However, only those who choose not to give up can move on to the next stage.
As long as you don’t quit halfway, your experiences will surely accumulate into strength.
This quote teaches us the importance of valuing consistency over results and committing with resolve.
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To solve a problem, don’t run away from it. Jack Dorsey These are the words of Jack Dorsey, who launched payment services and social networks and has driven innovation in the technology field.
Drawing on his experience confronting complex challenges, he speaks to the essence of problem-solving.
In studying, too, we sometimes want to look away from areas we’re weak in or topics we don’t understand.
But problems you avoid won’t be solved; only the ones you face become your strength.
By looking directly at the cause and continuing to think, you deepen your understanding.
It’s a practical quotation that quietly underscores the importance of the resolve not to run from difficulty.
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You only realize your own strength once you’ve overcome your anxieties and concerns. Serena Williams These are the words of Serena Williams, who has etched her name in the history of women’s tennis.
The road to the top is never smooth; it is a continuous struggle with anxiety and doubt.
When studying, everyone has moments when they lose confidence in their abilities and feel like stopping.
It is precisely at such times that the experience of facing your anxieties rather than fleeing from them becomes essential.
Only after overcoming difficulties can you recognize strengths beyond what you imagined.
It’s a quote that accepts the emotional turbulence that comes with challenge and gives you the courage to move forward.
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It’s never too late to start something. Bill Gates Bill Gates’s words gently give us the courage to begin.
When we study, it’s easy to feel down because we think we started late.
But what matters isn’t comparing ourselves to others—it’s whether we can take a step forward now.
Even if you lacked motivation until yesterday, the moment you sit at your desk today, the story begins to move.
Regardless of age or circumstances, going back to learn something new is never something to be ashamed of.
Small, steady efforts create the future.
His words carry that kind of positive message.
The moment you feel “It’s not too late to start now,” you’ve already taken the first step.
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Knowledge is power. Francis Bacon These are the words of Francis Bacon, who laid the foundation of modern scientific thought and influenced many fields of study.
Within this brief expression lies the essential value of learning.
The knowledge gained through study is not mere information; it will support your life as the power to think and the capacity to judge.
By accumulating knowledge, your options expand, and you gain confidence in your actions.
Knowledge acquired through steady, daily effort becomes an unwavering strength, no matter how difficult the situation.
It is a timeless quote that shows the meaning of continuing to learn.
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Even if I face setbacks, I don’t lose my pride—that’s because I’m putting in the effort. Shigeo Nagashima These are the words of Shigeo Nagashima, who left countless records and memories as a leading figure in professional baseball.
Behind success lies time spent continually facing failure and setbacks.
In studying, too, when results don’t come as hoped, we may feel our confidence slipping—but the very fact that we are making an effort is something to be proud of.
Periods without results are times of building strength.
As long as we keep challenging ourselves, we can hold our heads high and face forward.
This quote affirms the self who is striving and gives us the courage to rise again.
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A person who studies three, four, even five times more than anyone else—that is a genius. Hideyo Noguchi Hideyo Noguchi (1876–1928) was born in a poor farming village in Fukushima.
As a child, he suffered severe burns in a hearth fire that left his left hand impaired.
When he became discouraged after being mocked by those around him, his mother is said to have told him, “Study and prove them wrong.” From then on, Noguchi worked harder than anyone, later becoming a physician and engaging in bacteriological research, achieving notable results in his studies of yellow fever and syphilis.
His words teach us through his own life that unwavering perseverance and effort are everything.
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If you can dream it, you can achieve it. Walt Disney Walt Disney built a world-renowned entertainment company and kept delivering dreams to people everywhere.
This quote reflects his determination to keep envisioning his ideals despite countless hardships and failures.
In studying as well, imagining your goals can become the driving force behind your efforts.
Having a dream gives daily learning meaning and makes it easier to endure difficult times.
As you keep taking action toward the future you envision, reality gradually begins to take shape.
It’s a famous saying that embodies the power to turn hope into action.
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It takes time for effort to show results. Many people get bored, waver, and give up before then. Henry Ford Henry Ford (1863–1947) was an American entrepreneur and the founder of the Ford Motor Company.
No matter how hard we try, when we can’t achieve results, we may feel like giving up along the way.
When you think it might be time to quit, this is the moment to remember these words.
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