We’ve all had those days where we are just sapped for motivation. You know the ones I’m talking about. Where even the small task of getting out of bed feels like a massive ordeal.

At the end of it all, we’re only human. Each and every one of us has important responsibilities and sometimes they can begin to weigh us down. However, when that happens it’s important to remind yourself why you keep chugging along in the first place.

Below are 5 of the most powerful proverbs I’ve read in my life that are meant to fill you with passion and restore your motivation.

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese proverb

A basic, but incredibly important proverb. The essence of never giving up is one of the major keys to success. It’s a rarity to never fail when you set out to achieve your goals. Failure toughens our spirits and better equips us to face the hard battles.

Perseverance is one of the most valuable traits a person can hope to develop. It is through perseverance that we are able to find success. Every time failure knocks you down, you need to stand right back up, adapt your strategy, and try again.

Life can get hard, but if you remember to get up one more time than you’ve been knocked down, then you are already setting yourself up in a much better position than most.

“Be not afraid of growing slowly; Be afraid only of standing still.” — Chinese Proverb

Change can be difficult and scary. Looking at different viewpoints or having life-altering experiences can be complicated and cause you to change how you think. Though, it isn’t about how long it takes you to change or grow. It’s about making sure you are growing and changing as you age.

I was more of an introvert growing up, but when I began university over 3 years ago I decided to change myself. I desired to be more sociable and the best friend possible to all those around me and after 3 long years I can proudly say I’ve achieved my goal.

Life moves fast and standing still in the current can knock us down. Go with the flow and don’t be afraid of how long personal growth may take. The end result is more than worth it.

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice “— Natives Americans Proverb

Every person in the world is special and has something to contribute, including you. I personally love the idea of focusing on building your life in a way where you look back at your deathbed and hold no regrets, only happiness.

Make an impact on the world around you and never settle for anything less than you think you deserve. There’s nothing wrong with fighting to make a name for yourself and leaving your personal mark long after you are gone.

Whatever your unique skills or knowledge might be, find a way to apply them to your career or personal life. Remember, you are never too old to start working towards your dreams.

“Turn your face toward the sun and the shadows fall behind you.” — Maori proverb

After my 6 months spent studying abroad in New Zealand, this Maori proverb holds special meaning to me.

There will always be shadows in your life, that’s a fact; whether it is regrets of days gone by or failed tasks from the past. It’s important that we acknowledge our shadows always stay with us. However, it’s more important to realize you get to choose whether they are in front of or behind you.

Everybody has a choice. Your shadows are a part of who you are, but they don’t have to always be in your vision. The future is bright and will always be there even if it seems to be covered by clouds. Remember that the clouds will pass and brighter days lay ahead of you.

“It’s not enough to learn how to ride, you must also learn how to fall.” — Mexican proverb

Coming full circle, in a sense, failure is oddly important to success. The most successful people have failed more times than we can even imagine. However, it isn’t just about powering through failure.

If we keep trying to tackle the same problem in the exact same way, we will never make head-weight. Failure is ok, but the repetition of the same action that caused the failure is a lack of learning.

Studying how to respond to failure and use it as a catalyst to further our personal growth and goals is an incredibly useful skill. Learn from your mistakes in order to learn how to stop falling.

Life is a turbulent journey and that means it won’t always be smooth. Sometimes we have to learn to roll with the punches and power through the tough times.

Every one of us has it within ourselves to accomplish anything we set our minds to and we shouldn’t stop trying to get there until we feel the sweet sensation of success. As a bonus piece of motivation, I’ll end with one of my favorite quotes of all time:

“The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” — Lao Tzu

Thanks for reading.

This article was originally published by Trevor Mahoney on Medium here.