Just remembering them fills you with courage! Striking quotes that touch the heart from great figures and famous people
The words of those who have achieved or mastered something can sometimes give us courage and hope, can’t they?
People who are striving toward their dreams and goals, or who are trying to face what truly matters, may feel this even more strongly.
This time, we’ve compiled a list of striking quotes by great and notable figures that we’d like such people to know.
Each one is powerful, yet gently guiding.
We hope you’ll recall them when you need a push forward or want to reconnect with your own heart.
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Quotes that pierce the heart by great and famous figures (121–130) that give you courage just by remembering them!
Once you’ve chosen a path, never give up.Katharine Hepburn
Katherine Hepburn, an American actor also known for winning four Oscars.
Her famous quote, “Once you choose a path, never give up,” conveys the way of life of someone who achieved great things.
Whether the choice was entirely your own or not, the message of pressing forward on the path you’ve chosen expresses a resolve that can serve as a guide for living in any era.
It’s an energizing quote that also makes a great personal motto.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life.Charles Dederich
Charles Dederich, founder of Synanon, an organization established in the United States to help people with drug addiction.
The famous quote, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life,” is a message that looks to the future rather than the past.
The idea that every day is full of opportunities to be reborn carries particular weight precisely because it comes from Dederich, who dedicated himself to supporting people struggling with addiction.
Thanks to its positivity, it’s a great quote to adopt as a personal motto.
The goddess of fate favors those who act boldly.Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian political thinker known for advocating a realist political theory that politics should be considered separately from religion and morality.
His famous saying, “Fortune favors the bold,” can give us courage to face challenges.
Those who do nothing will never encounter opportunities, but taking action brings change and progress—doesn’t it? It’s a message I hope people who lack confidence in their initiative will adopt as a personal motto.
There is no piece that cannot move forward.Makoto Nakahara
Shogi player Makoto Nakahara, who holds five Lifetime Titles and also served as president of the Japan Shogi Association.
His famous saying, “There is no piece that cannot move forward,” truly reflects the unique perspective of a professional shogi player.
The eight types of pieces used in shogi each have different characteristics, but whether a piece is weak or strong, they all share the ability to move forward.
The message that anyone can make progress regardless of their abilities or circumstances can be a great source of courage for those on the verge of breaking.
It’s a quote to remember before you give up on something.
Quotes that pierce the heart by great and famous figures (131–140) that fill you with courage just by remembering them!
The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different from the present.Peter Drucker
The message that “the only thing we know about the future is that it will be different from the present” may seem obvious, yet it’s something many of us tend to forget.
If you find yourself despairing about the future—worrying that your current efforts will be wasted or that nothing will change no matter what you do—please remember this.
Peter Drucker taught that any action you take will inevitably bring about change.
Of course, change for its own sake isn’t the goal; I hope you can use this as a guiding principle to help ensure the future becomes better.
Competence can be learned.Peter Drucker
When you’re in an organization, don’t you sometimes find yourself comparing yourself to people who are called “competent”? When we see someone who can do things we can’t, or things we never even imagined, anyone can start to lose confidence.
However, Peter Drucker teaches that “competence can be learned.” People who seem to have been competent from the start when viewed from the present may have acquired their abilities through unimaginable effort over the course of their lives and work.
It’s a quote that tells us people can change through effort and the way they approach things.
Napoleon slept only three hours a night. There’s no reason I can’t accomplish what he could through effort.Hideyo Noguchi
These words express a strong resolve not to set limits on one’s effort.
Even great figures achieved success through extraordinary, sustained effort, and there is no reason we cannot do the same—this is the determination embedded here.
Of course, not everyone needs to push themselves on short sleep, but when you feel tempted to slack off, recalling this saying will naturally sharpen your focus.
Effort matters more than talent, and you can accumulate as much of it as you choose.
It’s a quote that gives you the power to go beyond your limits.
