You might even find your motto—short phrases that leave a lasting impression.
Words from great and famous people can linger in our hearts, even if they’re just a single phrase.
Those who have achieved something or who keep taking on challenges each have their own convictions and resolve, and even their briefest words carry power.
This time, I’ve put together a list of such memorable quotes.
They’re all the kind of sayings you’ll want to etch into your heart and remember.
Since they’re short, they’re perfect as personal mottos—so don’t miss them!
Jot them down so you can recall them right away.
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- Knowing this will surely make you feel positive! Beautiful, heart-touching words
You might even find a personal motto? Short, memorable phrases (11–20)
We read “failure” as “success.”Katsuya Nomura
These are words by Katsuya Nomura—renowned in professional baseball as a player, manager, and strategist—expressing his view on failure.
He tells us that continual growth is vital to achieving success, and that failure can be a powerful catalyst for that growth.
Rather than giving up by focusing only on the outcome, it’s important to analyze the causes of failure and apply what you learn next time.
It’s a famous quote that conveys a positive mindset: don’t lament failure—keep moving forward without giving up.
That’s fine—people should live their own way.Tarō Asō
@animationmeigen [Taro Aso] Do what you love rather than going to school and studying.Translation#Animation Quotes Collection
♪ Original song – Animated Quotes Collection – Animated Quotes Collection
It gently untangles the hearts of modern people who tend to be swayed by others’ values.
Everyone has their own environment and experiences, so it’s only natural that our ways of life differ.
There’s no meaning in judging someone’s choices as right or wrong; what matters most is whether that person is convinced and walking their own path.
If you keep conforming to the voices around you, you can lose sight of your own life.
Respecting others also leads to affirming your own way of living.
It’s a quote characteristic of Taro Aso, a longtime politician, showing the breadth to embrace diversity.
What matters isn’t who you’ve been up to now, but who you’ll be from here on.Ella Fitzgerald
These words give you the strength to switch gears and do your best from here on out, no matter what failures you’ve had in the past.
They’re from Ella Fitzgerald, the jazz singer who won 13 Grammy Awards and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
No matter how much you struggle, you can’t change the past.
What matters is the future: how you improved afterward, what you discovered, and what you’ll do next.
If you tend to get caught up in the past, hold these words close and turn your eyes forward.
There is no piece that cannot move forward.Makoto Nakahara
Makoto Nakahara, the 16th Lifetime Meijin in shogi and a holder of numerous lifetime titles.
With the unique perspective of a professional shogi player, his words will give a gentle push to those who have hit a wall.
Shogi pieces can move forward in many directions—vertically, horizontally, and diagonally.
Just like those pieces, people too can keep moving forward.
Even if you’re feeling down because you can’t seem to move ahead, believe that you still can, hold these words close to your heart, stand up, and take that first step!
Sweat you shed never liesChiyonofuji Mitsugu
When does sweat run down our bodies? You might break out in a sweat due to changes in temperature or from fear, but if we’re talking about a sumo wrestler’s sweat, it’s surely the sweat shed during training.
Sumo is a world of competition—matches are often decided in an instant.
To rise to that decisive moment and demonstrate their true worth, wrestlers must train not only their bodies but also their minds to the utmost.
Chiyonofuji’s famous quote seems to say that tireless effort becomes one’s confidence and can, in turn, become the certainty of victory.
Find a way. If there isn’t one, make one.Hannibal Barca
Hannibal Barca, renowned as Carthage’s great general who defeated the Roman army at the Battle of Cannae.
This famous quote is undeniably the powerful words of a true commander.
In 221 BCE, at the young age of twenty-six, he became the army’s commander and achieved numerous victories.
Perhaps this was because, as the quote suggests, he constantly sought ways to win, and if none could be found, he would create them himself.
His lofty ambition and unwavering resolve elevated him to a great general and made him a figure remembered and spoken of to this day.
If it doesn’t get dark, you can’t see the stars.Charles Beard
Dark nights and darkness are often seen as something negative, but these words remind us that there are things we can see only because we experience darkness.
They are by Charles Beard, an American historian and political scientist.
The stars we see precisely because we are in the deep dark are new discoveries that we could not see when we were outside the darkness.
So even if we lose our way and feel down in a painful darkness, this message encourages us to look for what we can do there, to search for anything we can see, and to use it to take the next step forward.
Kindness isn’t just for others; it comes back around to benefit yourself.Tarō Asō
These words convey that kindness toward others and the way you live your own life are inseparably connected.
Actions you take for the sake of others come back to you as your reputation, trust, and the quality of your life.
It’s not about seeking rewards; it’s the idea that consistently choosing what you believe is right will ultimately sustain you.
Within a brief phrase lies a realistic mindset for relationships and life in society.
It also impressively offers the perspective that your behavior shapes your future self.
A resolute, principled quote that embodies resolve and integrity.
If you keep looking down, you won’t be able to find a rainbow.Charles Chaplin
Even if something wonderful is right in front of you, you won’t discover it if you keep looking down.
These words encourage us to look ahead, even when we’re going through tough times.
They’re from Charlie Chaplin, a film actor known for his works full of humor, who also thrived as a film director.
When we feel down, we tend to hang our heads.
But it’s precisely when we’re discouraged that we should face forward to find something lovely—like a rainbow—that must be out there somewhere.
Believe that good things follow hardship, and first, try lifting your head.
If you can dream it, you can achieve it.Walt Disney
Walt Disney, who created Disneyland and produced numerous Disney works.
Here is a quote that could only come from someone who kept giving dreams to people around the world.
In reality, making dreams come true is very difficult.
However, this saying seems to tell us that what’s most important first is to believe that dreams absolutely can come true.
In fact, Disney works include depictions that convey “dreams come true when you believe.” If you can dream, and truly believe from the bottom of your heart that it will come true, you can make that dream a reality! Hold that conviction firmly, and let’s achieve our dreams and goals!