When you’re feeling unmotivated! Inspiring words from great figures and famous people

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
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 as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.

Have you ever found that when you want to start something—or when there’s something you have to do—you just can’t get your energy or motivation up? It’s not that you don’t want to do it, but you just can’t get yourself moving… and sometimes time just slips away and you start to panic, right? So this time, I’ve put together a list of motivational quotes from great figures and famous people for you to remember in those moments.

They’re all words that will remind you of how you felt when you decided to do your best, so I’m sure they’ll be helpful!

When you can’t get motivated! Inspiring words from great figures and famous people (1–10)

It is not noble to be superior to others.Ernest Hemingway

These are the words of Ernest Hemingway, a Nobel Prize-winning author who had a profound impact on literary history.

His words show that value lies not in comparing ourselves to others, but in our own growth.

When you keep studying, you may find yourself worrying about others’ grades and progress, and feel anxious.

But what truly matters is whether you’ve taken one step forward from who you were yesterday.

Small, steady efforts build confidence and sustain your attitude toward learning.

It’s a famous quote that quietly teaches the meaning of striving on your own terms.

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What matters is getting back up every time you fail.Winston Churchill

These are the words of Winston Churchill, who led his country through World War II and overcame a time of great hardship.

They reveal the strength of a man who, despite numerous failures and criticisms, never stopped moving forward.

In our studies as well, moments of discouragement are inevitable when results don’t go as we hoped.

However, what matters is not the failure itself, but how we act afterward.

The willingness to rise again and learn anew, time and time again, is what builds strength.

This is a famous quote that becomes a source of inner support, giving us the courage to persist and keep moving forward.

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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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When you’re feeling unmotivated! Inspiring words from great and famous people (11–20)

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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As long as you keep challenging yourself, failure does not exist.Mark Zuckerberg

These are the words of Mark Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook and greatly influenced the fabric of society.

Through a series of innovative challenges, he has experienced a great deal of trial and error.

When we try to avoid mistakes and failures in studying for exams or taking tests, we end up reducing the very act of challenging ourselves.

As long as we keep taking action, we learn from it, leading to the next improvement.

Failure is not the end, but a process along the path of growth.

This quote shows that a persistent spirit of challenge opens up the future and encourages proactive action.

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Nothing is impossible.Muhammad Ali

These are the words of Muhammad Ali, who symbolized an era as the world heavyweight champion and left behind many legendary bouts.

This short phrase embodies his stance of believing in his own potential without being bound by conventions or others’ evaluations.

In studying as well, if you decide from the start that something is impossible, the seed of growth will never sprout.

It is precisely when you face difficult challenges that a spirit of taking them on can change your future.

Even walls that seem insurmountable can, through steady effort, turn into realistic goals.

It is a famous quote that strips away preconceptions and gives us the courage to act.

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