Theodore Roosevelt Quotes

Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.

Believe you can and you're halfway there.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.

A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.

This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.

Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president.

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.

When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'Present' or 'Not guilty.'

A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.

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.

Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.

Knowing what's right doesn't mean much unless you do what's right.

No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it.

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.

There is but one answer to terrorism and it is best delivered with a Winchester rifle.

Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.

Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind.

I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of heart and that is softness of head.

Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage.

A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.

The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased; and not impaired in value.

The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.

The unforgivable crime is soft hitting. Do not hit at all if it can be avoided; but never hit softly.

Give the brethren a chance to do something, anything, no matter how small or unimportant. A brother convinced that he is helpful is enthusiastic.

Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong.

A good shot must necessarily be a good man since the essence of good marksmanship is self-control and self-control is the essential quality of a good man.

Life brings sorrows and joys alike. It is what a man does with them - not what they do to him - that is the true test of his mettle.

Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young.

Americanism is a question of principle, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace, or creed, or line of descent.

Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.

We can have no '50-50' allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.

It is essential that there should be organization of labor. This is an era of organization. Capital organizes and therefore labor must organize.

A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues.

There were all kinds of things I was afraid of at first, ranging from grizzly bears to 'mean' horses and gun-fighters; but by acting as if I was not afraid I gradually ceased to be afraid.

The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything. Do not be afraid to make mistakes providing you do not make the same one twice.

To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.

Most of us tiptoe through life in order to make it safely to death.

Massive potential you have and, in recognition of all this, would you mind having your salary halved.

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.

Do Something Now. If not you, who? If not here, where? If not now, when?

We draw the line against misconduct, not against wealth.

Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.

I believe in a graduated income tax on big fortunes, and in . . . a graduated inheritance tax on big fortunes, . . . increasing rapidly in amount with the size of the estate.

A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Courage, hard work, self-mastery, and intelligent effort are all essential to successful life.

We [must] hold the just balance and set ourselves as resolutely against improper corporate influence on the one hand as against demagogy and mob rule on the other.

The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.