Life doesn’t create dreams. Dreams create life.Shohei Ohtani
It means that how you spend each day changes depending on the dreams you have.
Rather than just drifting through life, it’s because you have a dream of “I want to become this” that you make an effort and the path you choose changes.
For example, if you dream of becoming a professional baseball player, you’ll get up early to practice and take care of your health.
Even in your studies, if you have a dream like “I want to do this kind of work in the future,” you’ll feel motivated to work hard in subjects you’re not good at.
Dreams aren’t just wishes; they teach us that they have the power to shape our future.
Whether big or small, having a dream is a step that moves your life forward.
Expectations aren’t something to meet, but to exceed.Shohei Ohtani
It teaches a positive mindset that aims not just to meet what others ask of you, but to go beyond.
Instead of stopping at “this is good enough,” it emphasizes the importance of continually pushing yourself with the belief that “I can do more.” For example, when people expect you to “get a hit,” you don’t settle for a hit—you work with the determination to go for a home run.
In studying, too, rather than thinking “as long as I pass,” you challenge yourself to “do my very best,” which leads to growth.
These words gently show a way of thinking that turns expectations not into pressure, but into an opportunity to develop yourself.
I won’t burn out until I win the gold medal.Hina Hayata
Hina Hayata is a Japanese table tennis player, known as one of Japan’s “golden generation of women’s table tennis” alongside Miu Hirano and Mima Ito.
“I won’t burn out until I win a gold medal”—these were her words in an interview during the Paris 2024 Olympics.
At the Paris Games, she lost in the first round of mixed doubles, won bronze in singles, and silver in the team event.
Despite competing while nursing a left wrist injury, she gave her all and moved people across Japan, yet the results were surely frustrating.
She also said, “Finishing with silver and bronze is a trial given by God.” We won’t be able to take our eyes off her at the Olympics in four years’ time!
Life isn’t for curling; curling is one of the things that make life shine.Mari Motohashi
Mari Motohashi, who has also excelled at the Winter Olympics as a member of the curling team Loco Solare.
She started curling at the age of 12, and while curling may seem like her entire life, that’s not quite the case.
For her, curling is one element of living an enjoyable life, not something to which she dedicates her entire existence—something she conveyed in her own words.
Even athletes who compete on the world stage are human beings.
It seems she’s showing us that both challenging the world through curling and walking one’s own path as an individual are equally valid ways to live one’s life.
I wonder what truly matters to me. Who are the people who are truly important to me? I feel like just sincerely pondering these two things is enough to lead a good life.Shigesato Itoi
It teaches us that happiness isn’t found outside, but within our own hearts.
When we’re always busy, we tend to get distracted by others’ opinions, money, and trends.
But simply pausing now and then to ask, “What truly matters to me?” gradually brings our way of living into alignment.
For example, if you decide you want to cherish time with your beloved family and friends, your actions will naturally start to change.
These words convey that facing your true feelings leads to a warmer, more fulfilling life.
Don’t rush, don’t panic, don’t give up. Precisely because of all you’ve built upSara Takanashi
It’s a famous quote that teaches us the importance of an unwavering spirit and steadily putting in the hard work especially when times are tough.
These are the words of ski jumper Sara Takanashi, spoken when she finally won at a Nordic Ski World Cup after a season of struggles without many victories.
When our efforts don’t seem to pay off, anyone can feel anxious—but it may be precisely then that it’s vital to keep moving forward, step by step, along the path you believe in.
When things aren’t going well and you feel lost, remember this quote.
People deserve praise or blame solely based on whether they have the perseverance to see things through.Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci, a master artist of the Renaissance known for The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.
From this quote he left behind, we can sense the importance of perseverance.
The ability to carry through without abandoning what you have decided to do is essential for success.
By continuing to make efforts without giving up until the end, people earn praise and etch their names into history.
Leonardo da Vinci is known as a remarkably versatile figure, even called a “universal genius.” Perhaps it was precisely because he possessed this power of perseverance.
