Words I want to make my motto that always inspire me
A motto is something you keep close at hand or etch into your heart as a reminder to keep yourself in check.
It’s said that people used to choose them from proverbs, idioms, and four-character compounds, but in recent years many have adopted famous quotations from great figures as their mottos.
What matters is whether it serves as a compass for your life and something you can lean on.
So this time, I’ve put together a list of words and phrases you might want to use as your motto.
They’re drawn from a wide range of sources—historical figures, business leaders, athletes, and more—so be sure to take a look!
- Mottos that are sure to lift your spirits and keep you positive!
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Words I want to make my motto—phrases (91–100) that always lift me up
If you don’t give up on yourself, there is no such thing as losing in life.Shigeta Saitō
Psychiatrist Shigeta Saito—who was also active as an essayist and public speaker and was affectionately known as “Mota-san.” From his famous saying, “As long as you don’t give up on yourself, there is no such thing as ‘losing’ in life,” we can learn the truth that everything depends on your own mindset.
Rather than being elated or dejected by wins and losses at life’s turning points, his message teaches that true victory lies in never giving up until the end.
It’s a quote to remember when you’re on the verge of setback or when your spirit is about to break—one that gives you the courage to stand up once more.
Those who accomplish great things are always bold adventurers.Charles de Montesquieu
The French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu, often regarded as a father of sociology, left us a memorable quote: “Those who accomplish great things are always bold adventurers.” It’s a message worth keeping close to heart.
If we only do what anyone can think of, we won’t achieve results beyond imagination.
By advancing with conviction and facing what others don’t expect or have avoided, we can reach uncharted territory—this is what the quote seems to teach us.
It’s an inspiring motto that encourages us to take the first courageous step.
Effort opens every door.Jean de La Fontaine
Jean de La Fontaine is a poet whom every French person knows and is said to remember for life.
His famous quote, “Diligence is the mother of good fortune” (literally, “Effort opens every door”), is simple yet packed with truth.
The message that anything can be achieved if we face it earnestly and make the effort it deserves is something many people understand but struggle to act on.
Of course, there are times when effort alone won’t get us there, but it never leaves us with nothing.
It’s a saying worth engraving in our hearts, one that can serve as a guiding principle in life.
Heaven does not extend a helping hand to those who do not act for themselves.William Shakespeare
The poet William Shakespeare, who left behind numerous works including the four great tragedies and is hailed as a leading figure of English Renaissance drama.
The famous quote, “Heaven helps those who help themselves,” may prompt us to confront our own actions.
Reality is not so easy that miracles will happen if we leave things to fate or to others.
This saying teaches us that things turn around as if aided by heaven precisely because of what we have built up through our own actions.
To become the best in the world, you need world-class effort.Keisuke Honda
Keisuke Honda is known as a former member of Japan’s national soccer team and is currently an active professional player who effectively serves as the owner of several professional clubs.
His famous quote, “To become the best in the world, you need to make the world’s best effort,” is a message that only someone like Honda—who has literally competed on the world stage—could truly convey.
If you place yourself in a world where rankings and hierarchies exist, it’s natural that everyone strives to reach the top.
Within that baseline of effort, to actually become number one, you have to work the hardest.
It sounds simple when put into words, but it’s something we tend to forget.
That’s why this quote is one I hope anyone with dreams or goals will engrave in their heart.
Talent is something you let bloom; sense is something you polish!!!Toru Oikawa, Haikyu!!
This is a famous quote from Haikyu!!: “Talent is something you make bloom.
Sense is something you polish!!!” It conveys that even if you have talent, it’s meaningless unless you let it blossom, and that your sense or taste is useless unless you refine it.
Many people quit right away saying they have no talent, or give up saying they lack sense, but instead of wasting time saying such things, it’s better to seriously think about how you can improve even a little.
Rather than waiting for a miracle, stake everything and give it your all!Misato Katsuragi 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'
This is a famous quote from Misato Katsuragi, a character in the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Her belief—that it’s better to keep making efforts than to do nothing while waiting for a miracle—is profoundly insightful.
Even if you fail, your efforts won’t be wasted; conversely, perhaps miracles are granted only to those who strive.
Thinking that way makes you realize how truly important it is to think for yourself, try things out, and keep making an effort.
If you can dream it, you can achieve it.Walt Disney
Walt Disney was a businessman with many faces—an animation creator, animator, producer, film director, screenwriter, manga artist, voice actor, and entertainer.
His famous quote, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” carries special weight precisely because he founded The Walt Disney Company, which won worldwide popularity after many twists and turns.
Fundamentally, you can’t achieve anything without having a dream or a goal.
Because we can envision our dreams, we make the effort, and if we can picture it, this quote gives us the courage to believe we can make it real.
You can’t change other people or the past, but you can change yourself and the future.Eric Berne
Eric Berne, a Canadian psychiatrist known for proposing Transactional Analysis in 1957, once said, “You can’t change other people or the past, but you can change yourself and the future.” It’s a quote that makes you nod in recognition of its simple truth.
Indeed, it’s hard to change others through your efforts alone, and nothing can alter what has already happened.
But if you work at it, you can change yourself and shape what lies ahead from this moment on.
It’s a positive message that points us toward where to direct our efforts and sustains hope for the future.
The only people who never make mistakes are those who do nothing.Theodore Roosevelt
The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was renowned not only as a politician but also as a soldier, writer, hunter, explorer, and naturalist.
His famous quote, “The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything,” teaches us the importance of taking action.
It’s true that if you do nothing, you won’t make mistakes—but you also won’t gain anything.
When you take action, mistakes will happen; that very fact is proof that you tried to do something.
It’s a message that those who hesitate out of fear of failure especially need to hear—an uplifting quote that encourages a forward-looking mindset.