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 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.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.Mahatma Gandhi
These words from Mahatma Gandhi feel like they update our entire outlook on how to live.
For example, if we knew we were going to leave this world tomorrow, we would throw ourselves wholeheartedly into what we want to do today.
Conversely, if we were to die tomorrow, we might not bother to learn anything more.
On the other hand, if we could live forever, we would likely study hard to endure an endless life.
Gandhi’s words reconcile these two stances.
The message—to live each day so you leave no regrets, while continuing to build your learning endlessly—is something we should always keep in our hearts.
Don’t rush. But don’t give up.Shigeta Saitō
These are the words of Shigeta Saito, a psychiatrist who has supported many people’s hearts and conveyed ways of living through numerous writings.
When we keep making an effort, there are moments when we want to rush the results, but impatience narrows our perspective.
On the other hand, if we stand still and take no action, no progress can be made.
In studying, what matters is maintaining composure while not stopping your steps.
Even small steps, if continued, will surely move you forward.
It’s a famous saying that teaches us the value of trusting your own pace and persevering with tenacity.
If you stay focused, you can overcome any obstacle.Warren Buffett
These are the words of Warren Buffett, an American investor who has built a record of steady results through long-term investing.
His success was not the product of split-second decisions, but of a sustained commitment to focus.
In studying as well, getting distracted by too much information scatters your results.
By identifying what needs to be done and concentrating on the task at hand, you can overcome difficult obstacles little by little.
Patiently sustained focus leads to significant outcomes.
It’s a famous quote that quietly teaches the importance of the quality of effort.
If we were just one minute earlier, we could save one more person.Calvin Coolidge
Let me introduce a powerful quote from Calvin Coolidge: “If you are one minute early, you can save one more person.” Calvin Coolidge was an American politician who also served as President.
This saying—“If you are one minute early, you can save one more person”—was apparently an American firefighting slogan that was introduced to Japan when the American Red Cross used it in 1923 (Taisho 12) to appeal for aid following the Great Kanto Earthquake.
These powerful words that crossed the ocean truly strike a chord, don’t they?
He who fails to prepare is preparing to fail.Benjamin Franklin
This is a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin—remembered as a Founding Father in the United States—about the importance of preparation.
It’s a saying that corrects the attitude of those who neglect to prepare, conveying that failing to prepare sets the stage for failure.
By deliberately expressing in a roundabout way that preparation is essential to avoid failure, it even evokes a sense of fear about failing.
The words also suggest that, to prevent all kinds of failures, it’s important to prepare broadly and thoroughly.
I can imagine that many people are still struggling emotionally and mentally. So let’s keep supporting one another.Lady Gaga
This is a message Lady Gaga sent to the disaster-affected areas in 2021, ten years after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
It shows her affection for Japan by acknowledging that recovery is still not complete even after so much time, and that emotional support is still needed.
By standing firmly with those who are suffering and grieving while encouraging them to move forward, she gives many people courage and strength.
It also conveys the impression of a message that we must not let the passage of time erode or fade the memory of their pain.
Beneath mud and earth lies solid rock; above clouds and mist shines the sun. At the height of discontent, there is still fortune, nor is hope absent.Kanzo Uchimura
I would like to introduce a famous saying by Kanzo Uchimura: “Beneath the mud lies bedrock; above the clouds and mist shines the sun.
Even at the height of complaint, happiness and hope are not absent.” Kanzo Uchimura was a Christian thinker active in the Meiji era.
Disasters can bring many hardships.
At such times, Uchimura left words he hoped we would remember.
It is said to mean that even when times are painful and difficult now, a stable and bright future surely awaits beyond.
He likens difficult situations to mud, and the bedrock represents the strength within us that lies beneath these serious problems.
Furthermore, he tells us that even when we feel or voice complaints, happiness and hope still exist.
Life brings all kinds of experiences, doesn’t it? Even so, we are reminded of the importance of maintaining a positive outlook.
Nature is an impartial and merciless enemy. Society is an unjust enemy with human sentiment.Soseki Natsume
Let me introduce a famous quote by Natsume Sōseki: “Nature is a fair yet ruthless enemy.
Society is an unjust yet compassionate enemy.” Natsume Sōseki was a Japanese novelist and scholar of English literature.
His major works include I Am a Cat, Botchan, Sanshirō, And Then, Kokoro, and Light and Darkness.
This line—“Nature is a fair yet ruthless enemy.
Society is an unjust yet compassionate enemy.”—appears in his work Reminiscences.
It’s a quote that encourages us not to underestimate nature and to prepare for natural disasters.
Natural disasters strike when we least expect them.Torahiko Terada
Here is a famous and important saying by Torahiko Terada: “Natural disasters strike when they have been forgotten.” Terada was a Japanese physicist, essayist, and haiku poet.
As a researcher, he was interested in disasters such as fires and earthquakes, and it is said that after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, he became even more deeply engaged with the subject.
This quote reminds us that the peaceful passing of everyday life without incident is not something to be taken for granted.
It is a phrase worth engraving in our hearts.