Recommended as life tips! A collection of short, memorable quotes from great figures

Doing nothing that is of no use.Miyamoto Musashi

Takehiko Inoue’s smash-hit manga Vagabond is a work that puts the spotlight on two figures: Musashi Miyamoto and Kojiro Sasaki.

Although it’s still ongoing, its character portrayals are remarkable—so much so that they almost make you feel the climactic duel awaiting them at the end no longer matters.

What’s depicted isn’t merely the two men’s lives, but their very way of living.

These words from Musashi remind me of the episode in the manga where he briefly engages in farming.

In the end, it’s you yourself who decides what is useful and what isn’t; thinking that way makes these words resonate even more deeply.

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Take the sky as a road, and see the road as the sky.Miyamoto Musashi

An unexpectedly popular character from the manga Fist of the North Star is Juuza of the Clouds.

His free-spirited personality must have made him a beloved figure.

When you’re going to school or work every day, there are days when everything just feels unbearable.

You might even want to quit living a life that runs on rails someone else laid down.

At times like that, please remember these words from Musashi.

They’ll make your heart take wing and give you the feeling you can walk your path freely.

“It’s up to you to decide how you live.” It almost feels as if he’s gently teaching us even that.

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Worry is the worst poison for the stomach.Alfred Nobel

Alfred Nobel, who established the Nobel Prize and is the namesake of the award, is also known as the chemist who invented dynamite.

When we have worries or anxieties, it’s common to get a stomachache.

Many people may find that stress has led to gastritis or even a stomach ulcer before they realized it.

It’s important to identify potential problems and plan countermeasures, but let’s avoid excessive worrying.

Try to stay positive and think, “It’ll work out somehow.”

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Love is eventually healed by another love.John Dryden

John Dryden was an English poet who also left behind many works as a critic and playwright.

Among his major works is the poem “Annus Mirabilis,” which is famous in part for its length of 1,216 lines.

These words of his about love are sure to comfort you when romance doesn’t go well.

When consoling someone heartbroken, an ordinary person might say something like, “There are plenty of fish in the sea,” but in the hands of a poet, it becomes something so beautiful.

Shifting your feelings toward the next love right away can be hard, but I hope you’ll take these words about love as a guide.

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A clumsy excuse is worse than keeping silent.Thomas Fuller

Thomas Fuller, who left us many memorable quotes such as “Brave actions never desire victory” and “A man who is everywhere is nowhere,” was a clergyman of the Church of England, and his sayings all carry the air of a man of the cloth.

When we fail, we tend to make excuses, try to make up for the failure somehow, or play down our mistakes.

But to Fuller, it would be better to keep silent in that case.

His words seem to convey, with quiet conviction, that “confession and regret are not the same.”

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Marriage is a long conversation.Friedrich Nietzsche

You’ve probably heard the name Friedrich Nietzsche at least once, even if you’re not interested in philosophy.

He’s known as a German philosopher and a thinker associated with existentialism.

His phrase “God is dead” is especially famous.

Let me introduce one of his quotes.

In married life, two people from different backgrounds live together.

Naturally, there will be many aspects that don’t align.

When that happens, it’s necessary—like having a conversation—to listen to each other and deepen mutual understanding.

I feel that this quote carries that kind of meaning.

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It’s hope and confidence that make things happen.Helen Keller

Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing after contracting a fever in early childhood, overcame great challenges to learn from her tutor, Anne Sullivan, and achieved the remarkable feat of entering Harvard University.

She is also known for her lifelong dedication and contributions to welfare and education for people with disabilities.

Here is one of the famous quotes she left behind.

Hope and confidence…

do you have them? Some of you may be struggling, unable to find either.

In such times, draw strength from her words.

You may begin to feel that you, too, can do something.

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The foundation of medicine lies in prevention.Shibasaburo Kitasato

Shibasaburo Kitasato was a microbiologist who left numerous achievements, including establishing serotherapy and discovering the plague bacterium, and is known as the “father of modern Japanese medicine.” Here is one of the famous quotes he left behind.

Given that he contributed to the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases both in Japan and abroad, we can somewhat imagine the context behind these words.

Even in today’s advanced medical world, there are many illnesses designated as intractable diseases for which no established treatments exist.

Sometimes it’s too late once we become ill, so it’s important for each of us—not just those working in medicine—to take care of our health.

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