Mottos exist because some truths are too important to be forgotten and too complex to be carried in casual conversation. A good motto condenses an entire philosophy into a phrase that can be memorized, repeated, and returned to in the moments when you most need it. Well known mottos from history, culture, nations, and individuals — these are the ones that have lasted because they are true.
Well Known Mottos From History and Culture
1. Carpe diem. (Seize the day.) — Horace
2. Per aspera ad astra. (Through hardships to the stars.) — Latin proverb
3. Veni, vidi, vici. (I came, I saw, I conquered.) — Julius Caesar
4. Dum spiro, spero. (While I breathe, I hope.) — Cicero
5. Alea iacta est. (The die is cast.) — Julius Caesar
6. Mens sana in corpore sano. (A healthy mind in a healthy body.) — Juvenal
7. Memento mori. (Remember you will die.) — Latin
8. In hoc signo vinces. (In this sign, you will conquer.) — Latin
Well Known Mottos From Countries and Organizations
9. E pluribus unum. (Out of many, one.) — United States
10. Liberté, égalité, fraternité. (Liberty, equality, fraternity.) — France
11. A mari usque ad mare. (From sea to sea.) — Canada
12. Honi soit qui mal y pense. (Shame on him who thinks evil of it.) — United Kingdom
13. Unity and faith, peace and progress. — Nigeria
14. Order and progress. — Brazil
15. Ora et labora. (Pray and work.) — Benedictine motto
16. Semper fidelis. (Always faithful.) — United States Marine Corps
Well Known Mottos for Personal Use and Daily Life
17. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. — The Golden Rule
18. If not now, when? — Hillel the Elder
19. Be the change you wish to see in the world. — Attributed to Gandhi
20. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. — Theodore Roosevelt
21. Whatever you are, be a good one. — Abraham Lincoln
22. First, do no harm. — Hippocratic tradition
23. Leave it better than you found it. — Scouting tradition
24. This too shall pass. — Persian adage
Well Known Mottos About Courage and Action
25. Fortune favors the bold. — Latin: Audentes fortuna iuvat
26. Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something is more important than fear. — Ambrose Redmoon
27. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. — Albert Einstein
28. Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. — William James
29. The only way out is through. — Robert Frost
30. Begin. The rest is easy. — Unknown
31. Done is better than perfect. — Sheryl Sandberg
32. Just do it. — Nike
Well Known Mottos About Character and Values
33. Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. — C.S. Lewis
34. Character is who you are when no one is watching.
35. Treat people as you wish to be treated.
36. A person’s true character is revealed by what they do when no one is watching.
37. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
38. Know thyself. — Socrates (inscribed at Delphi)
39. Nothing in excess. — Socrates (inscribed at Delphi)
40. An unexamined life is not worth living. — Socrates
Well Known Mottos About Persistence and Hard Work
41. Fall seven times, stand up eight. — Japanese proverb
42. A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. — English proverb
43. The harder I work, the luckier I get. — Samuel Goldwyn
44. Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. — Thomas Edison
45. In the end, it is not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years. — Abraham Lincoln
46. Every master was once a disaster. — T. Harv Eker
47. Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. — Winston Churchill
Frequently Asked Questions
What are well known mottos?
Well known mottos include: ‘Carpe diem’ (Seize the day), ‘Per aspera ad astra’ (Through hardships to the stars), ‘Veni, vidi, vici’ (I came, I saw, I conquered), ‘Fortune favors the bold,’ and ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ These have lasted because they are true.
What are well known mottos from history?
Historical mottos include: ‘Veni, vidi, vici’ (Julius Caesar), ‘Carpe diem’ (Horace), ‘Memento mori’ (Latin tradition), ‘E pluribus unum’ (United States), ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’ (France), and ‘Semper fidelis’ (US Marine Corps). These represent the values of the people and institutions that carried them.
What are personal mottos to live by?
Personal mottos include: ‘If not now, when,’ ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are,’ ‘Leave it better than you found it,’ ‘Whatever you are, be a good one,’ ‘This too shall pass,’ and ‘The only way out is through.’ These are for daily use as anchors and guides.
What are mottos about character?
Character mottos include: ‘Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching,’ ‘Character is who you are when no one is watching,’ ‘Know thyself’ (Socrates), ‘An unexamined life is not worth living’ (Socrates), and ‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.’
What are mottos about persistence?
Persistence mottos include: ‘Fall seven times, stand up eight’ (Japanese proverb), ‘A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor,’ ‘Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts’ (Churchill), and ‘Every master was once a disaster.’
More to Round It Out
48. Actions speak louder than words. — English proverb
49. The truth will set you free. — John 8:32
50. Knowledge is power. — Sir Francis Bacon