Theodore Roosevelt, also known as Teddy Roosevelt, was one of the most iconic American presidents of all time. He was a man of many talents, a gifted orator, a war hero, and a prolific writer. His contributions to American society are immeasurable, and his legacy lives on to this day. Roosevelt was known for his inspirational speeches, filled with wisdom, courage, and grit. He had a unique ability to motivate and inspire people to take action and lead with purpose.
In this article, we’ve compiled 75+ of the best Theodore Roosevelt quotes that will inspire you to take action and live a life of purpose. Whether you’re looking for leadership advice, perseverance, or courage, these quotes will leave you feeling motivated and ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way.
Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Quotes:
- “The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants to be done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
- “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
- “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.”
- “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.”
- “The most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice.”
- “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
- “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.”
- “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
- “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”
- “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
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Theodore Roosevelt Perseverance Quotes:
- “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.”
- “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.”
- “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
- “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
- “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
Courage Quotes by Theodore Roosevelt:
- “It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.”
- “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
- “Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.”
- “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
- “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
Action Quotes by Theodore Roosevelt:
- “Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”
- “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
- “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.”
- “There has never yet been a man in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.”
- “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
Success Quotes by Theodore Roosevelt:
- “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
- “Success comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”
- “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
- “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
You can also enjoy Lyndon B. Johnson’s Quotes
Theodore Roosevelt Self-Improvement Quotes:
- “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
- “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”
- “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
- “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
- “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
- “The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything.”
- “When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.”
- “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
- “Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.”
- “I am a part of everything that I have read.”
- “Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”
- “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”
- “To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”
- “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
Theodore Roosevelt More Quotes
- “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”
- “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”
- “A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.”
- “Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.”
- “Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering.”
- “When you play, play hard; when you work, don’t play at all.”
- “It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.”
- “People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.”
- “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”
- “Let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out.”
- “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
- “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants to be done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
- “With self-discipline, almost anything is possible.”
- “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
- “The boy who is going to make a great man must not make up his mind merely to overcome a thousand obstacles, but to win in spite of a thousand repulses and defeats.”
Theodore Roosevelt
- “Big jobs usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow small ones.”
- “Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.”
- “Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young.”
- “Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage.”
- “I care not what others think of what I do, but I care very much about what I think of what I do! That is a character!”
- “No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause.”
- “This country has nothing to fear from the crooked man who fails. We put him in jail. It is the crooked man who succeeds who is a threat to this country.”
- “A stream cannot rise larger than its source.”
- “It is impossible to win the great prizes of life without running risks, and the greatest of all prizes are those connected with the home.”
- “If I must choose between peace and righteousness, I choose righteousness.”
- “Peace is normally a great good, and normally it coincides with righteousness, but it is righteousness and not peace which should bind the conscience of a nation as it should bind the conscience of an individual, and neither a nation nor an individual can surrender conscience to another’s keeping.”
- “All the resources we need are in the mind.”
Famous Theodore Roosevelt Quotes:
- “Our chief usefulness to humanity rests on our combining power with high purpose. Power undirected by high purpose spells calamity, and high purpose by itself is utterly useless if the power to put it into effect is lacking.”
- “There is only one quality worse than the hardness of heart and that is the softness of head.”
- “In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: hit the line hard.”
- “The men and women who have the right ideals… are those who have the courage to strive for the happiness which comes only with labor and effort and self-sacrifice, and those whose joy in life springs in part from the power of work and sense of duty.”
- “We need the iron qualities that go with true manhood. We need the positive virtues of resolution, of courage, of indomitable will, of power to do without shrinking the rough work that must always be done.”
- “At some time in our lives, a devil dwells within us causes heartbreaks, confusion, and troubles, then dies.”
- “We must remember not to judge any public servant by any one act, and especially should we beware of attacking the men who are merely the occasions and not the cause of the disaster.”
- “Order without liberty and liberty without order are equally destructive.”
- “Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.”
- “Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.”
Conclusion
Theodore Roosevelt was an incredible leader, and his words have the power to inspire us to live a life of purpose. From his quotes on leadership to his advice on perseverance, courage, action, success, and self-improvement, we can learn a lot from his wisdom. The 75+ Theodore Roosevelt quotes we’ve compiled in this article are just a small glimpse into his vast collection of inspirational speeches and writings. By taking his words to heart, we can all become better leaders, persevere through challenging times, have the courage to take action, strive for success, and focus on self-improvement.
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FAQs
Q: What was Theodore Roosevelt known for?
A: Roosevelt was known for his contributions to American society as a gifted orator, war hero, and prolific writer. He was also a great leader who inspired others to take action and live a life of purpose.
Q: What are some of Roosevelt’s most famous quotes?
A: Some of Roosevelt’s most famous quotes include “Believe you can and you’re halfway there”, “The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants to be done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it”, and “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
Q: How can Theodore Roosevelt’s quotes inspire us?
A: Roosevelt’s quotes can inspire us to take action and live a life of purpose. His words encourage us to be leaders, persevere through difficult times, have courage, take action, strive for success, and focus on self-improvement.
