Short maxims by great figures that you’ll want to etch into your heart and remember
When it comes to living our lives, doesn’t everyone have their own guiding principles?
They can take many forms—relationships, work, romance, and more.
Because the criteria we use to make decisions lead directly to our actions, having a consistent core makes life easier both for yourself and for those around you.
With that in mind, here are some short maxims left to us by great figures of the past.
If you don’t yet have a clear set of guiding principles, I hope you’ll find something in this article.
And of course, even if you already have your own philosophy, I encourage you to take a look!
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I want to etch these into my heart! Short maxims by great figures to remember (11–20)
Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.Thomas Edison
This famous quote about what it means to be a “genius” is by Thomas Edison, who is known as an inventor.
Generally, people may think a genius is someone who is born with talent and can achieve results without doing anything.
However, it is well known that even Edison, who was called a genius, experienced countless failures and put in innumerable hours of effort.
In other words, he says that what makes a genius a genius is not innate talent, but extraordinary effort combined with just a bit of inspiration.
Genius is nothing more than a mediocre person who works hard.Albert Einstein
When we encounter people whom the world calls geniuses, we sometimes suffer by feeling the difference in talent between them and ourselves.
Sharing what such so-called geniuses are really like, these words from Albert Einstein tell us that anyone has the potential to become a genius.
Genius is not determined solely by innate talent; it is something forged through sustained effort.
If you keep trying without giving up, the power to be called a genius can be granted to anyone.
These words give us the courage to keep moving forward without quitting, especially when our efforts don’t seem to lead to the results we hope for.
Those who do not advance will surely retreat, and those who do not retreat will surely advance.Yukichi Fukuzawa
The world changes as time passes, and some people may feel they’re struggling to keep up.
Here are words from Yukichi Fukuzawa that convey how we should frame our mindset as we move through the flow of life’s time.
As time flows, our actions amount to one of two things: advancing or falling behind, and he asks which we will choose.
Standing still also leads to retreat, which suggests an encouragement to take on challenges and keep moving forward.
A person who tries to be everyone’s friend is no one’s friend.Wilhelm Pfeffer
We might sometimes think that people with lots of friends are wonderful and look happy.
But for that person, can the people around them really be called true friends? These words by Wilhelm Pfeffer, the German plant physiologist said to have laid the foundations of modern plant physiology, prompt us to reflect on the pros and cons of what in Japanese is called happō bijin—that is, trying to please everyone.
Having many friends isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when you’re in trouble, will those people truly help you? Will they stay by your side? It may be more important to find one friend who genuinely cares about you than to have many friends.
Imagination without action has no meaning.Charles Chaplin
Having a rich imagination is very important, but have you heard the saying that says it’s not enough on its own? The words are by the British actor Charles Chaplin.
Through this quote, he wanted to say that no matter how vivid your imagination is, it’s meaningless without the drive to put it into action.
In other words, when you come up with something, the most important thing is to act on it.
Let’s strive not to be all talk, but to always follow through on our words.
To conquer oneself is the greatest victory.Plato
Have you ever found yourself slacking off when you were trying to take action toward a goal? I’m sure many people have had the experience of being too easy on themselves.
In other words, for many of us, our greatest enemy is ourselves.
From this quote by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, we can sense the message that “the hardest thing is to overcome yourself without indulging yourself, and once you can do that, all that remains is to keep moving forward.” It’s a phrase worth remembering whenever we take on a challenge.
I want to engrave these in my heart! Short aphorisms (21–30) by great figures you should remember
We do not laugh because we are happy; we are happy because we laugh.William James
Japan has a proverb that says, “Good fortune comes to the laughing gate,” and a similar sentiment was expressed by William James, an American philosopher who was also active as a psychologist.
His words carry the message: “Even when you face hardship or are in a difficult situation, don’t forget to smile.” Knowing this saying, which reminds us that keeping a smile helps keep our spirits positive, makes us want to smile no matter the circumstances.