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!
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Words I want to make my motto—ones that always spur me on (21–30)
You should have more faith in your talents and what you’ve done.Ichiro
It teaches us the importance of not underestimating ourselves and having confidence in the effort we’ve built up.
The more things don’t go well, the more we tend to think, “Maybe I can’t do it,” but the time we’ve spent working hard has never been wasted.
For example, even when results don’t come in a sport you’ve practiced for years, believing in the effort you’ve made and continuing on can turn into strength.
In studying as well, those who have kept at it steadily are the ones who can demonstrate their abilities when it counts.
These words convey that believing in yourself becomes the foundation that supports your next step.
What I want to tell people around the world is to make an effort. If you put your heart into it, you can achieve anything.Cindy Ngamba
Here are some words I want to share with those striving toward their dreams and goals.
They come from Cindy Ngamba, the women’s 75 kg boxer.
Cindy Ngamba won a brilliant bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first medalist from the Refugee Olympic Team.
“What I want to tell people around the world is to work hard.
If you put your heart into it, you can achieve anything.” These words apply not only to sports but to everything in our daily lives.
From her message, you can feel her strong will and the grueling effort she puts in day after day—a powerful quote that pushes forward everyone who strives.
A champion is defined not by how they act when they win, but by how they rise after they lose.Serena Williams
It means that true strength appears in how you act after a loss.
Anyone can celebrate when they win.
But it’s precisely when you’re frustrated by defeat and feel like your spirit might break that your real strength is tested.
For example, if you lose a game by a wide margin, the true champion isn’t the one who says, “I can’t do this anymore” and gives up, but the one who looks forward and keeps working, saying, “I’ll practice more for next time.” The same is true when you don’t get the test score you hoped for.
It gently teaches us that failure isn’t the end, but a chance to grow.
The courage to stand back up after losing is what leads to future victory.
What matters is not practice, but the passion for practice.Pelé
Which is better: practicing just because you’re vaguely told to, or practicing hard with a clear goal in mind? Pelé, called the King of Soccer and admired by players and fans around the world—he captivated so many people precisely because, true to these words, he kept practicing tirelessly with passion, scored countless goals, and became a beloved figure worldwide.
Spending time on practice is sometimes important, but even more important, he teaches us, is approaching practice with your heart fully invested and your soul in it.
Impossible is not a fact, but an opinion.Muhammad Ali
These are words that seem to embody the relentless drive toward results, spoken by the champion Muhammad Ali, a legend in the world of boxing.
They convey the idea that “impossible” stems from preconceptions and weakness of will, and that if we keep a spirit of challenge, anything can be transformed into the possible.
By refusing to set limits and continuing to face challenges, anything becomes achievable, leading to great outcomes.
They are powerful words that evoke an attitude of fighting on without excuses and the strength of will to keep doing so.
There is no such word as ‘limit’ in my dictionary.LeBron James
These words express the mindset of pushing beyond limits that many athletes hold in their hearts, including basketball player LeBron James.
Drawing on Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous quote, “The word impossible is not in my dictionary,” known from the French hero, it conveys a combative spirit.
It communicates the idea that limits are determined by one’s own mind, and that by continuing to believe you can keep going, you can achieve even greater results.
It’s a phrase that strongly conveys the courage to charge ahead without fearing limits and the determination to keep fighting.
There is no absolute champion. A champion is always a challenger.Kosuke Kitajima
It means that no matter how strong someone is, if they become satisfied, their growth will stop.
Truly strong people think, “I’ve still got a long way to go,” and always keep working toward new goals.
Even after winning a competition, it’s important not to relax and think “I’ve done enough,” but to keep practicing with the mindset, “Next time, I want to swim even faster.” The same applies to studying and work: people who continue to aim higher even after a success are the ones who grow.
These words gently teach us the importance of not standing still after success and of never forgetting the spirit of challenge.
A true champion is someone who always keeps moving forward.
Believe in the 1% chance, believe in yourself, and believe in what you’ve done.Yuto Horigome
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, skateboarder Yuto Horigome competed in the men’s final.
He put up a high score in his first run, but fell in his second and couldn’t improve his total.
Meanwhile, a strong American contender posted a big score, and Horigome entered his fifth and final attempt in provisional seventh place.
By landing a high-difficulty trick, he pulled off a brilliant comeback and won the gold medal.
Horigome spoke about times he nearly gave up and how he kept believing in even a 1% chance.
It’s a memorable quote that drives home the importance of never giving up.
Doing things without changing what I aim forRyo Ishikawa
The 2013 season, in which he took on the challenge as a member of the U.S.
men’s tour.
These were the words Ryo Ishikawa spoke as he carried great expectations and pressure.
He said it was important not to change his playing style in order to maximize his abilities in an unprecedented environment.
When the environment changes, the people around you change as well, so it’s hard to do everything as usual.
But how you keep from losing yourself in that situation leads to victory.
You can really feel Ishikawa’s strong will, as someone who has always played golf to win.
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.