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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- Encouraging words that give you strength. Words you’ll want to share with those around you.
- Words that strongly push you forward and give you energy
- If you know them, they might become beacons that light your life’s path: a collection of memorable quotes.
- You can push a little further! Inspiring quotes from great figures to boost your study motivation
- Keep your favorite words close. A short collection of quotes that comfort the heart.
- Uplifting words by great figures and famous people that, despite their brevity, convey a sense of philosophy.
- You might even find your motto—short phrases that leave a lasting impression.
- A cool one-line message of support
Words I want to make my motto—sayings that always lift me up (11–20)
If you worry about what you don’t have, you’ll waste what you do have.Ken Keyes Jr.
People tend to focus on what they can’t do.
And it’s natural to feel envious of those who seem more talented.
But the same is true for others as well.
Everyone has their own individuality, with strengths and weaknesses.
People are people, and you are you.
You, too, surely have wonderful talents and value that others would envy.
Instead of fixating on what you lack, why not turn your attention to what you have? You’ll likely discover something new.
Life doesn’t create dreams. Dreams create life.Shohei Ohtani
It means that how you spend each day changes depending on the dreams you have.
Rather than just drifting through life, it’s because you have a dream of “I want to become this” that you make an effort and the path you choose changes.
For example, if you dream of becoming a professional baseball player, you’ll get up early to practice and take care of your health.
Even in your studies, if you have a dream like “I want to do this kind of work in the future,” you’ll feel motivated to work hard in subjects you’re not good at.
Dreams aren’t just wishes; they teach us that they have the power to shape our future.
Whether big or small, having a dream is a step that moves your life forward.
I won’t burn out until I win the gold medal.Hina Hayata
Hina Hayata is a Japanese table tennis player, known as one of Japan’s “golden generation of women’s table tennis” alongside Miu Hirano and Mima Ito.
“I won’t burn out until I win a gold medal”—these were her words in an interview during the Paris 2024 Olympics.
At the Paris Games, she lost in the first round of mixed doubles, won bronze in singles, and silver in the team event.
Despite competing while nursing a left wrist injury, she gave her all and moved people across Japan, yet the results were surely frustrating.
She also said, “Finishing with silver and bronze is a trial given by God.” We won’t be able to take our eyes off her at the Olympics in four years’ time!
All phenomena are reflections of the mind.Kazuo Inamori
Kazuo Inamori, the entrepreneur known as the founder of Kyocera and KDDI, achieved many successes through a philosophical approach to management.
He showed that everything we experience in life is deeply connected to the state of our mind.
He believed that a positive mindset produces good results, while a negative mindset has harmful effects.
His ideas help us deeply understand not only the role of personal effort and actions, but also how emotions influence our lives and work.
It is a famous saying imbued with the message that by aligning our feelings, we can shape a better future.
Only one thing is needed: to believe you can do it.Anthony Robbins
Anthony Robbins is an American author known for books that collect famous quotes.
Some of you have probably seen his works in bookstores.
By believing you can, you gain the strength to overcome difficulties, and this quote also teaches us the importance of believing in yourself.
Believing in yourself should have a very positive impact on you, and it also makes you think: if you don’t believe in yourself, who will?
If you don’t give up, there will always be a way. Always.Sakichi Toyoda
These are the words of Sakichi Toyoda, who supported Japan’s industrial development and laid the foundation for the future Toyota Group.
They reflect his determination to keep moving forward despite repeated failures and trial and error.
In study as well, we sometimes hit a wall and feel we can’t see the way ahead, but as long as we don’t give up, our thinking doesn’t stop.
As we persist, our perspective shifts and new solutions emerge.
It is those who continue to make steady efforts, no matter the circumstances, who find their path opens before them.
This is a powerful quote that supports not only perseverance but also the courage to believe.
To see what is right and not do it is a lack of courage.Confucius
Confucius was a thinker and philosopher of China’s Spring and Autumn period.
Many people have probably read at least part of the Analects, a collection of his famous sayings.
This particular saying of his conveys that knowing what the right thing to do is but failing to act stems from a lack of courage.
Even when embarrassment, busyness, or calculations of gain and loss hold us back despite knowing better, if we gradually muster the courage to put what we know into practice, we can become a better version of ourselves in a positive way.
To conquer oneself is the greatest victory.Plato
Here is a famous quote by Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher.
It’s fascinating to think that people over 2,000 years ago were already contemplating such things.
Overcoming one’s own heart must have been difficult even for people in the past.
In our daily lives, we often end up focusing only on winning against others, but for those who do, it might be good to remember this quote from time to time.
And it makes me think how hard it is for us humans that, even over such a long span of time, we still struggle to put into practice the wisdom of those who came before us.
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.
The mental strength to endure—to dig in with “One more step!” the very moment you think “I can’t go on”—cultivates an unbeatable power to overcome anything.Taihō Kōki
In the world of competition, you either win or lose.
In sumo, that contest can be over in an instant.
In such moments, there are times when you feel it’s all over.
But through this famous quote, Taiho teaches us that what matters is what comes next.
If you can take just one more step when you think you can’t, if you can endure, the moment that leads to victory may arrive.
A strong heart that never gives up, no matter the circumstances, is the key to drawing victory closer.
It’s a quote to remember especially when you’re in a do-or-die, on-the-edge situation.
