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)
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.
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.
Without trust, there is no friendship; without sincerity, there is no trust.Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson was an 18th-century British poet, critic, and philologist, also known for compiling an English dictionary.
This quote says that merely sharing pleasant times does not constitute true friendship.
The foundation is sincerity—whether you can trust the other person.
Keeping promises, not lying, and not betraying others—such steady accumulation breeds trust and only then leads to friendship.
Johnson’s words are stern but highly realistic.
When a relationship wavers, they serve as a guide for reflecting on what was missing.
It is a timeless saying that those who value friendship would do well to keep in mind.
A true friend is someone who stands by you especially when you are in the wrong.Mark Twain
Mark Twain, who was active as a writer in the United States, is best known for his representative work, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
These are words left by that great author that express his view of how true friends behave.
A friend is not someone who always affirms you; sometimes, a friend sets you back on the right path, and together you can grow.
It’s a message that makes us reflect on the compassion embedded in stern critiques and advice.
I want to engrave these in my heart! Short aphorisms (21–30) by great figures you should remember
Your happiness in life depends on the quality of your thoughts.Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, one of the Five Good Emperors and the 16th Roman emperor.
He is also known for leaving behind his work Meditations, and can be regarded as a model of a philosopher-king who preferred learning over war.
He was also a thinker within Stoic philosophy.
The happiness of life changes according to the quality of one’s own thoughts.
Controlling the mind and emotions through thought also affects how we ultimately interpret things.
In other words, a single way of thinking can make you happy—or unhappy.
