RAG Music - Quote A quote so piercing it stirs your heart the moment you remember it. Just remembering them fills you with courage! Striking quotes that touch the heart from great figures and famous people 10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminder kepiko 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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
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.
Table of Contents Just remembering them fills you with courage! Striking quotes that touch the heart from great figures and famous people Whether I’m happy or not is something only I can decide. Matsuko Deluxe I’m not interested in where you stumbled. I’m concerned with how you rise from it. Abraham Lincoln If you work hard, will you be rewarded? That’s not it. You keep working hard until you’re rewarded. Lionel Messi If you believe in yourself, there are no limits. Cristiano Ronaldo Impossible is not a fact, but an opinion. Muhammad Ali Our lives are our art. John Lennon You don’t have to make yourself smaller for those around you. Let them catch up to you. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter Small steps of progress add up to great success. Mahatma Gandhi If you try, you can achieve; if you don’t try, you won’t. Whatever fails to be accomplished fails because people do not attempt it. Uesugi Yōzan To love is to align your own happiness with the other person’s happiness. Gottfried Leibniz Don’t rush. But don’t give up. Shigeta Saitō Some believe that clinging makes you stronger. But sometimes, letting go is what makes you strong. Hermann Hesse If you fail, you can try again. If trying again doesn’t work, think it through once more and try again. Konosuke Matsushita Any person is capable of more than they think. Charles Chaplin If you think you can, you can; if you think you can’t, you can’t. This is an unshakable, absolute law. Pablo Picasso It’s never too late to become the person you wanted to be. George Eliot It is not the strong who win; it is those who win who are strong. Franz Beckenbauer To challenge yourself is to grow. LeBron James He who runs away can fight another day. Demosthenes Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Helen Keller 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 You should have more faith in your talents and what you’ve done. Ichiro 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 A champion is defined not by how they act when they win, but by how they rise after they lose. Serena Williams Don’t listen to others’ expectations. Live your own life and meet your own expectations. Tiger Woods What matters is not practice, but the passion for practice. Pelé Everyone has talent. But it’s effort that makes talent blossom. Michael Jordan Prioritizing the team’s victory over personal glory ultimately leads to individual success as well. Lionel Messi There is no such word as ‘limit’ in my dictionary. LeBron James There is no absolute champion. A champion is always a challenger. Kosuke Kitajima Winning or losing is a small thing. What matters is whether you gave it your all. Shuzo Matsuoka We read “failure” as “success.” Katsuya Nomura You should be honest with your feelings. Hideo Nomo If you can’t believe in yourself, who will? Kei Nishikori Life’s only failure is not to try. Lindsey Vonn I’m glad we were able to make it back alive like this. Ayumu Hirano It is precisely because there are restraints that I can fly. It is precisely because there is sorrow that I can soar high. It is precisely because there is adversity that I can run. It is precisely because there are tears that I can move forward. Mahatma Gandhi Beyond the clouds, the sky is always blue. Louisa May Alcott If you don’t give up on yourself, there is no such thing as losing in life. Shigeta Saitō Happiness is always decided by your own heart. Mitsuo Aida If you stay focused, you can overcome any obstacle. Warren Buffett It is the heart that makes a world without amusements into an interesting one. Shinsaku Takasugi I kept telling myself that everything I was studying was for my goal. Miles Davis It’s not that we run because it’s hard; it becomes hard because we run. William James Do not avoid the difficult path. You must move forward if you want to reach your destination. Katherine Anne Porter The problem lies in the future. That’s why I don’t look back at the past. Bill Gates In this world, there is a unique path that only you can walk. Do not ask where that path will lead. Simply press on. Friedrich Nietzsche If you have a clear dream and a clear goal, the path will surely open up. Mahatma Gandhi No matter how many times you fall, you can start over as many times as it takes. “Failure” isn’t falling down; it’s not getting back up. Mary Pickford Any genius is born of passion. Isaac D'Israeli Love is not about gazing at each other, but about looking together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Do not abandon the ambition you sought to achieve just because of a single defeat. William Shakespeare Sweat you shed never lies Chiyonofuji Mitsugu Because there was a humiliating defeat, my determination to absolutely win next time grew stronger. Kitanoumi Toshimitsu It’s hard to understand being criticized for asking pointed questions about what was discussed in the Diet. Katsuya Okada The fence isn’t built by others; it’s built by yourself. Aristotle No matter how much we study and how diligent we are, things sometimes don’t go well. This is because the time is not yet ripe, so we must all the more encourage ourselves and endure. Eiichi Shibusawa Other people’s rulers and your own ruler each have different measurements, don’t they? Mitsuo Aida Those who do not advance will surely fall back, and those who do not retreat will surely advance. Yukichi Fukuzawa 98% of our worries are needless Masahiro Fujimura Saying it must be this way just because it’s been that way for only 50 or 100 years is strange; I want to try absolutely everything without taboos. Kimi Onoda Let those who wish to leave, leave. Alexander the Great What I’m doing is by no means something big, but it is something necessary. Che Guevara Find a way. If there isn’t one, make one. Hannibal Barca Your happiness in life depends on the quality of your thoughts. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus People deserve praise or blame solely based on whether they have the perseverance to see things through. Leonardo da Vinci No success for those without dreams. Yoshida Shōin As you stretch yourself to broaden your horizons, it’s possible you’ll actually grow taller. That’s part of what makes life interesting. Saburō Shiroyama Unless the whole world becomes happy, individual happiness is impossible. Kenji Miyazawa We came in with the resolve that even if we can realize just one or two policies that benefit the people, we will take all the criticism ourselves. Yuichiro Tamaki Politics moves. Yuichiro Tamaki An indecisive leader can even be harmful. Yoshihide Suga Without passion, no energy is born. Without energy, it’s the same as having nothing. Do not be easily satisfied—whether with yourself or with anything else. Even when the wind is against you, grit your teeth and refuse to compromise. If you admit defeat, you lose. Even if you acknowledge how bad the situation is, as long as you are determined to see it through to the end, a chance to win will emerge. If you’re going to think, think big. If you’re going to live, live big. No dream is too big, and no challenge is too great. Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. Coco Chanel The best way to pave the road to success is through effort and diligence, and by focusing on what is going well rather than on what isn’t. To have been born into this world—that in itself is the greatest opportunity, isn’t it? Ayrton Senna If you can take one step, you can take another. Todd Skinner Even if my life is a losing battle, I want to fight until the very end. Vincent van Gogh It’s in the moments you decide that your destiny is shaped. Anthony Robbins No one ever regrets having done their best. George Halas If you don’t give up, there will always be a way. Always. Sakichi Toyoda It is not noble to be superior to others. Ernest Hemingway What matters is getting back up every time you fail. Winston Churchill Not being satisfied is the best technique for improving your ability. Wayne Gretzky Obstacles before you are opportunities. By facing difficulties, you can grow. Kevin Durant There is only one way to succeed: never give up. Jeff Bezos To solve a problem, don’t run away from it. Jack Dorsey You only realize your own strength once you’ve overcome your anxieties and concerns. Serena Williams Knowledge is power. Francis Bacon As long as you keep challenging yourself, failure does not exist. Mark Zuckerberg Nothing is impossible. Muhammad Ali Even if I face setbacks, I don’t lose my pride—that’s because I’m putting in the effort. Shigeo Nagashima Do not fear change. It is part of growth. Elon Musk In the Way, one thinks without shunning death. Miyamoto Musashi I was born to accomplish something in this world. Hideyo Noguchi If you truly fought for what is right, there’s no shame in losing. Katherine Anne Porter ...to be continued Just remembering them fills me with courage! Striking quotes that pierce the heart by great figures and famous people (71–80) Politics moves. Yuichiro Tamaki News about a substantial increase in the income tax threshold has frequently appeared on TV and social media.
It will rise to 1.6 million yen in 2025 and to 1.78 million yen in 2026.
In addition, the provisional gasoline tax will be abolished, which should reduce the burden on drivers.
For more than a decade, neither the annual income threshold nor the gasoline-related burden had changed.
However, this is the result of persistent proposals by the Democratic Party for the People, led by Mr.
Tamaki, to increase take-home pay for citizens.
Many people may think that “politics never changes.” As Mr.
Tamaki says, continuing to push can move politics and bring reform—thinking that way makes the world feel brighter.
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An indecisive leader can even be harmful. Yoshihide Suga As prime minister, Yoshihide Suga pledged one million vaccinations a day and devoted his efforts to bringing COVID under control.
He declared he would practice politics for the people and was always someone who thought and acted on his own.
This statement truly reflects who he was.
When something goes wrong, the pressure on a leader who bears full responsibility is undoubtedly heavy.
But postponing decisions will not solve problems—if anything, it may create new ones.
What a leader must do is make decisions that no one else can.
This quote, I believe, expresses that firm resolve.
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Without passion, no energy is born. Without energy, it’s the same as having nothing. If you want to accomplish something, you need to pursue it with passion.
Without passion, you won’t feel motivated, and there’s no way you can keep running all the way to the goal.
That passion is the very energy that drives action.
If you can’t find passion, even exceptional talent or ability won’t be fully utilized.
If you want to achieve something great or live a fulfilling, wonderful life, please find something that ignites your passion.
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Do not be easily satisfied—whether with yourself or with anything else. Even when the wind is against you, grit your teeth and refuse to compromise. These words convey Donald Trump’s determination to face difficulties without giving in and his strictness toward himself.
They also suggest an ambitious side that refuses to be satisfied with the status quo and aims ever higher.
A key point is not only his toughness on himself but also his refusal to be satisfied with others, which signals a desire to improve things on a broader scale.
Striving for higher ideals and persevering through adversity—this content feels reflective of Trump’s life.
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If you admit defeat, you lose. Even if you acknowledge how bad the situation is, as long as you are determined to see it through to the end, a chance to win will emerge. If you admit defeat, you lose…
If you read just that part, it gives the impression of being stubborn and unwilling to give up, but if you read on, you can understand what President Trump is trying to say.
Admitting defeat means giving up on that fight.
Once you give up the fight, the path that leads to the future is cut off.
But as long as you don’t give up, there may be a chance to turn the situation around.
It’s important to acknowledge failures and unfavorable circumstances while maintaining a strong, unwavering heart that doesn’t give up.
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If you’re going to think, think big. If you’re going to live, live big. When we set goals, we tend to choose targets that feel achievable.
Small steps are fine if they ultimately lead to a big goal, but it’s a waste to limit yourself from the start.
This quote teaches us that by thinking and acting on a larger scale, the dreams and goals we achieve grow larger too.
The version of yourself you imagine might actually be capable of much greater things.
Try setting goals on a scale that feels almost impossible at first!
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No dream is too big, and no challenge is too great. When you paint a dream or try to take on a challenge, if the goal is too big or the finish line seems too far away, people may ask, “Can you really do it?” If you lack confidence, that one comment might make you think, “Maybe it’s impossible for me,” and leave you feeling discouraged.
In moments like that, remember this quote! Even we ourselves don’t know how far we’ll go.
We won’t have the answer until the day our lives end.
That’s exactly why we should dream big and take on big challenges—so we can see just how far we can go.
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Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. Coco Chanel This is a quote by Coco Chanel, the fashion designer and entrepreneur who founded the Chanel brand.
In Japan, you tend to stand out if you dress outside the trends.
Many people may lack the courage to stick to the fashion they love and end up choosing outfits similar to everyone else’s.
If deep down you feel, “This isn’t the real me…,” remember this quote.
Being true to yourself is what truly refines you.
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The best way to pave the road to success is through effort and diligence, and by focusing on what is going well rather than on what isn’t. Successful people keep working harder than anyone else and repeat trial and error.
While acknowledging failures as failures, they never lose the positivity needed to reach their goals.
This famous quote by President Trump teaches us the need for steady effort and the importance of thinking positively.
Continuing to make an effort is tough, and it’s painful when hard work doesn’t lead to results.
At such times, believe in the self that has worked so hard up to now, and recall your past successes.
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To have been born into this world—that in itself is the greatest opportunity, isn’t it? Ayrton Senna There’s a famous quote by Ayrton Senna: “Being born into this world—isn’t that the greatest chance of all?” He was an F1 driver from Brazil, unmatched in driving technique and speed, and so skilled in wet conditions that he was called the Rain Master.
Because we’re alive, we can feel sadness, suffering, and joy.
Precisely because we were born into this world, value your time, and don’t give up on trying the things you want to challenge yourself with or the things you’re curious about!
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