Famous quotes everyone knows, including words from great figures and characters

You’re going to stumble many times from now on. But you also have the strength to get back up each time.Nobita Nobi 'Doraemon'

These are lines from Doraemon, spoken to present-day Nobita by himself from 45 years in the future.

When you think of Nobita, he’s the kind of kid who messes up no matter what he does, gets made fun of by Gian and Suneo, and is constantly scolded by his mom.

To such a Nobita, his future self offers these words.

Because it’s the future Nobita—someone who has stumbled many times yet kept getting back up and moving forward—who says them, they carry great weight.

Getting such wonderful advice from your future self feels kind of romantic and lovely, doesn’t it?

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hane Keisuke

Report a problem

Stay hungry. Stay foolish.Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, can be considered one of the entrepreneurs who represent the United States.

This is a famous quote by that history-making, great entrepreneur—one that seems to express a fundamental mindset for approaching things.

Literally, it means “Stay hungry, stay foolish,” but it embodies the attitude that we should never be satisfied with the status quo and should keep challenging ourselves with something new.

Daring to question what is taken for granted and trying to change it may have been the key to his success.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

If you can dream it, you can do it.Walt Disney

These are the words of Walt Disney, who created numerous Disney works and theme parks such as Disneyland.

In Japanese, they are rendered as: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” The message is that by dreaming, you naturally begin to see what you need to do to reach that dream, and if you can make the effort to clear those tasks one by one, your dream will come true.

Precisely because these are the words of Walt Disney—who, despite many failures, brought the dreams he envisioned to life—the importance of having dreams and goals truly comes across.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hane Keisuke

Report a problem

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, a religious figure and political leader known as the “Father of Indian Independence.” Gandhi is known for many famous sayings, and this one is familiar to many: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow.

Learn as if you were to live forever.” Human life inevitably comes to an end; it tells us to live without regrets and never stop learning.

It’s a profound saying that can be called a lesson for life.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

My enemy is, for the most part, myself.From Chūya Koyama’s “Space Brothers”

These words appear in Space Brothers, a story that portrays the growth of two siblings aiming to become astronauts and has resonated with many.

It shows that the true wall we face isn’t other people or our environment, but our own doubts and fears.

In studying as well, the reason we stop taking action often lies within ourselves.

When we overcome anxiety about failure and a lack of confidence, we can make great strides forward.

Continuously facing yourself becomes the shortcut to growth.

This quote acknowledges the weaknesses within and gives you the strength to move forward.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mutō

Report a problem

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.Abraham Lincoln

This is a famous quote left by Abraham Lincoln, who served as the 16th president of the United States.

In English, it is expressed as “Where there is a will, there is a way.” It’s an encouraging, forward-looking phrase that gives us the courage to keep striving: if you have a strong will to achieve your goal and face challenges without giving up until you succeed, a path will open.

The idea of “a path will open” doesn’t necessarily mean the goal will always be achieved; rather, it also suggests that even if you don’t reach the goal, the experience of approaching it with strong determination is never wasted.

It’s a message I’d like to share with anyone about to take on a new challenge.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hane Keisuke

Report a problem

There are no coincidences in life. Don’t run away by blaming others or luck—let’s keep building our strength little by little.Kazu Miura

These are words from Kazu Miura that convey the idea that the difficulties we face in life are not a matter of chance or luck, and that it’s important to always be prepared.

They express the belief that if we recognize that everyone is destined to face hardships and build up our strength for them, we can overcome any challenge.

There’s also a message that blaming luck or others won’t lead to true strength, so it’s vital to accept reality and keep moving forward.

These words also reveal a determination to stay true to oneself and press on with strength, no matter the circumstances.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

He who fails to prepare is preparing to fail.Benjamin Franklin

This is a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin—remembered as a Founding Father in the United States—about the importance of preparation.

It’s a saying that corrects the attitude of those who neglect to prepare, conveying that failing to prepare sets the stage for failure.

By deliberately expressing in a roundabout way that preparation is essential to avoid failure, it even evokes a sense of fear about failing.

The words also suggest that, to prevent all kinds of failures, it’s important to prepare broadly and thoroughly.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Natural disasters strike when we least expect them.Torahiko Terada

Here is a famous and important saying by Torahiko Terada: “Natural disasters strike when they have been forgotten.” Terada was a Japanese physicist, essayist, and haiku poet.

As a researcher, he was interested in disasters such as fires and earthquakes, and it is said that after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, he became even more deeply engaged with the subject.

This quote reminds us that the peaceful passing of everyday life without incident is not something to be taken for granted.

It is a phrase worth engraving in our hearts.

Earthquakes will strike again and again. To prevent severe damage, we will build parks and roads.Shinpei Gotō

I would like to introduce a famous quote left by Shinpei Goto: “Earthquakes will come again and again.

To prevent great damage, we must build parks and roads.” From this saying, one can sense his conviction to protect human life.

Shinpei Goto devoted himself to the reconstruction after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, making present-day Tokyo a city resilient to disasters.

Immediately after the earthquake, he became Minister of Home Affairs and then Minister for Reconstruction to rebuild Tokyo, which had suffered immense damage.

Along with the quote, he conceived reconstruction measures, but at the time he faced criticism from those around him.

It is said that enormous funds were required to put them into action, and landowners opposed the purchase of tracts that had been reduced to burned-out fields by the quake.

Although his budget was cut, Goto poured his efforts into building a disaster-resilient city.

Thanks to those efforts, Tokyo became stronger against earthquakes than it had been in the past.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem