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Mottos, emblems and motifs

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The Self
Part 8 - Mottos, emblems and motifs



A motto is a phrase or sentence that sums up the beliefs or ideals of a person (or indeed a family, or group of people). It could be an original choice of words or it could be from a quote or from the lyric of a song. Below are some mottos that some people have shared with SD:

Examples of mottos
“Under-promise and over-deliver.”
“Hope for the best; expect the worst.”
“Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
“Be realistic. Go for the impossible.”
“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
“Suffer in silence.”
“No expectations.”
“No Gods, no masters.”
“Namaste.”
“Shy bairns get nowt.”
“Takes one to know one.”
“It doesn’t mean that much to me to mean that much to you.” [Lyrics by Neil Young]
“Cooperation, liberation, freedom and unity.”
“Eat lots of porridge and stop looking at the calendar.”
An emblem is an image or a symbol, often framed within a badge or a shield, that represents the values or identity of a person [or a group of people].

Examples of emblems
A motif is a design using a repeated pattern, and can also contain a message or represent a theme.

Examples of motifs
Q: Do you have your own personal motto, emblem or motif? If you do, could you take the time to write/draw/design/print it onto a page? If you don’t, could you take the time to think of what is important to you and come up with ideas, which you can then commit to the page?

Q: How might your motto differ from that of your family, friends, and the society you grew up in?

Q: How might your motto be similar to those around you and indeed the world around you?

My emblem and motto

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