1. "Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground."
2. "Believe you can and you're halfway there."
3. "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."
4. "A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad."
5. "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care."
6. "It is only through labor and painful effort, by grin energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things."
7. "The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people."
8. "Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind."
9. "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
And... A personal favorite
10. "If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month."
For me, seeing these quotes really solidified for me this optimistic and progressivist mindset of Roosevelt's (shown in quotes 1 and 2) and showed me his idea on laziness. I think it says a lot about a person who says that the "next best thing [to do] is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." This shows to me how much he appreciated action over anything else (Ha... he would've hated General McClellan...). Also, I really began to greater appreciate his emphasis on charisma and enthusiasm as shown in quotes 5, 6 and 7. He really shows that, as a successful leader, one has to genuinely care and spread his passion to the people. The last thing that got across to me was quote 8 which really showed the progressivism in Roosevelt because it shows how strongly he believed in doing the right thing and bettering the people as a whole.
For me, seeing these quotes really solidified for me this optimistic and progressivist mindset of Roosevelt's (shown in quotes 1 and 2) and showed me his idea on laziness. I think it says a lot about a person who says that the "next best thing [to do] is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." This shows to me how much he appreciated action over anything else (Ha... he would've hated General McClellan...). Also, I really began to greater appreciate his emphasis on charisma and enthusiasm as shown in quotes 5, 6 and 7. He really shows that, as a successful leader, one has to genuinely care and spread his passion to the people. The last thing that got across to me was quote 8 which really showed the progressivism in Roosevelt because it shows how strongly he believed in doing the right thing and bettering the people as a whole.
Hey Starch! Thanks for posting these quotes...they definitely provide insight to his personality. But they also are little bits of wisdom that can still be applied to our lives. I totally agree with you. The 10th quote is the best. I did a little bit of research and I found another quote that I really like. "Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young." I think it's pertinent to our situations now, when we're young but we want to be older -- it's important to remember that we're still living life and now is just as important as the future. I wonder in what context Roosevelt said this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for another interesting post, Christina! I found a few more quotes that I thought I'd share:
ReplyDelete– "In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard!"
– "I believe in rough games and in rough, manly sports. I do not feel any particular sympathy for the person who gets battered about a good deal so long as it is not fatal."
I found these in an article about how Roosevelt "saved" football (it's an interesting read, if you're a football aficionado) but I think they reveal a lot about his character. He believed in "hitting hard," as evidenced by his determination to pass whatever reform bills he deemed necessary, regardless of any opposition. The second quote also references his "manly" persona, which is perhaps what made him appealing to so many people (much like Andrew Jackson). Even if Roosevelt never actually said these exact quotes, which is possible, I think they're a pretty accurate representation of everything we've learned about his personality.
Here's the link to the football article: http://www.history.com/news/how-teddy-roosevelt-saved-football
Quote #2 is one that I've often seen on motivational posters in classrooms. I didn't realize that they came from a president though!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I wonder is if Roosevelt said these quotes on his own, or if they were part of speeches written by a speechwriter? I know it doesn't make much of a difference (they will always be attributed to Roosevelt), but I find it curious that many of the things a president says are in fact the words of an oftentimes unknown speechwriter.
Great post! I think you're right in saying that seeing what someone actually said in their lifetime can be as valuable, if not more than what a historian says about them after they die. Though Katherine is right that Roosevelt might not have actually said those words, they give a much more unseasoned view of his character.
ReplyDeleteAnd finally, two more good ones that I found:
"To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society."
and
"Appraisals are where you get together with your team leader and agree what an outstanding member of the team you are, how much your contribution has been valued, what massive potential you have and, in recognition of this, would you mind having your salary halved."
This is such a great post because it really makes one think about Roosevelt more of as a person and less of a historical figure with no human life. I really appreciated quote #8 because it makes me think of the quote "actions speak louder than words". I think this is completely politically relevant because society always complains about presidents not following through on their promises they made during the presidential campaign. I think it's also important to consider that things are easier said than done and being a president of the USA is no walk in the park!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! Learning about the person firsthand gives us much more insight about their personality than any textbook can. Going off of this, I wanted to further understand what FDR was like. These are just the quotes I thought captured his mindset and mentality the most:
ReplyDelete"Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money, it lies
in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”
"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds."
"Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.”
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
"Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.”
I think this really demonstrates Franklin’s mentality. He clearly believed that people determined their own fate, and that all decisions they should make should be defined on their own principles. Specific to his presidency, quote 3 and 5 show that he honestly did work for the good of the people, and that their protection was his main motivation. FDR clearly believed in helping the people and I think that is what made him such a great president.