50+ Motivational Latin Proverbs to Elevate Your Thinking to New Levels

Wisdom surpasses time and place. Powerful thoughts spoken hundreds and thousands of years ago still ring true to us today.

One of my lifelong pastimes is collecting positive thoughts of all stripes. I have whole documents dedicated to inspirational quotes from people I look up to as role models, uplifting and motivational affirmations I’ve discovered over the years, and personal thoughts (every now and then I create a good one all on my own!).

Latin proverbs, in particular, possess a special power. Many of us are already familiar with a few popular ones: carpe diem (“seize the day”), cogito ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”), or veni, vidi, vici (“I came, I saw, I conquered”).

These phrases have endured over the centuries, with some becoming part of our everyday discourse and others adopted as popular sayings in various institutions, such as primum non nocere (“first, do no harm”), a common saying in medicine and healthcare, or pro bono (“for the good”) a phrase in law referring to a lawyer working for no charge, or sic semper tyrannis (“thus always to tyrants”) which is often applied to politics and government.

Here’s a compilation of the more popular and noteworthy Latin proverbs. These cover a broad range of subjects and ideas, but you’re bound to find a few new ones that resonate with you.

50+ Motivational Latin Proverbs

Acta non verba
(“deeds not words”)

Ad meliora
(“towards better things”)

Ad victoriam
(“to victory”)

Audere est faucere
(“to dare is to do”)

Astra inclinant, sed non obligant
(“the stars incline us, they do not bind us”)

Bono malum superate
(“good will overcome evil”)

Carpe diem
(“seize the day”)

Calamus gladio fortior
(“the pen is mightier than the sword”)

Cogito, ergo sum
(“I think, therefore I am”)

Cras es noster
(“tomorrow, be ours”)

Dat deus incrementum
(“God gives growth”)

Dictum factum
(“what is said is done”)

Dies diem docet
(“the day teaches the day”)

Duc, sequere, aut de via decede
(“lead, follow, or get out of the way”)

Dum spiro, spero
(“while I breathe, I hope”)

Ego te provoco
(“I challenge you”)

Est modus in rebus
(“there is a middle way in all things”)

Faber est suae quisque fortunae
(“every man is the artisan of his own fortune”)

Familia supra omnia
(“family over everything”)

Fons vitae caritas
(“love is the fountain of life”)

Fortiter et fideliter
(“bravely and faithfully”)

Gladiator in arena consilium capit
(“the gladiator is formulating his plan in the arena”)

Grandescunt aucta labore
(“by work, all things increase and grow”)

Humilitas occidit superbiam
(“humility kills pride”)

Igne natura renovatur integra
(“through fire nature is reborn whole”)

Incepto ne desistam
(“may I not shrink from my purpose”)

Magna est vis consuetudinis
(“great is the power of habit”)

Memento mori
(“remember you must die”)

Memento vivere
(“remember you have to live”)

Memores acti prudentes future
(“mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be”)

Morior invictus
(“death before defeat”)

Non ducor, duco
(“I am not led, I lead”)

Nosce te ipsum
(“know thyself”)

Omne initium difficile est
(“every beginning is difficult”)

Ordo ab chao
(“order out of chaos”)

Palma non sine pulvere
(“no reward without effort”)

Pax vobiscum
(“peace be with you”)

Praesis ut prosis ne ut imperes
(“lead in order to serve, not in order to rule”)

Praemonitus, praemunitus
(“forewarned is forearmed”)

Pro bono
(“for the good”)

Primum non nocere
(“first do no harm”)

Qui non proficit, deficit
(“he who does not advance, goes backward”)

Qui totum vult totum perdit
(“he who wants everything loses everything”)

Sapientia potentia est
(“wisdom is power”)

Si vis amari, ama
(“if you wish to be loved, love”)

Sic parvis magna
(“greatness from small beginnings”)

Sic semper tyrannis
(“thus always to tyrants”)

Sic vita est
(“such is life”)

Sui incrementum infinitum
(“infinite self-growth”)

Suum cuique
(“to each his own”)

Tempus fugit
(“time flies”)

Tendit in ardua virtus
(“virtue strives for what is difficult”)

Ubi concordia, ibi victoria
(“where is unity, there is victory”)

Vacate et scire
(“be still and know”)

Veni, vidi, vici
(“I came, I saw, I conquered”)

Verba volant, scripta manent
(“words fly away, writing remains”)

Vincit qui se vincit
(“he conquers who conquers himself”)

Vis medicatrix naturae
(“the healing power of nature”)

Recommended Exercise

Which ones do you like the best from the list above?

Choose 1-3 of these Latin proverbs and find a way to integrate them into your daily life. Practice unconscious positivity: write one down and post it on your fridge or bathroom mirror, create a piece of art or music dedicated to one, or make one into a digital password.

I have “cras es noster” (tomorrow, be ours) on the top of my whiteboard going into the new year.

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