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We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.
William Howard Taft
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Greatness requires hard work, sacrifice, and courage.

William Howard Taft emphasizes the importance of striving for greatness by acknowledging that it does not come easily; it is a result of sustained effort, personal sacrifice, and the courage to pursue high ambitions. The quote inspires individuals to embrace challenges and work diligently towards their goals.

Themes

GreatnessToilSacrificeCourageMotivation

In practice

Example use cases

During a motivational speech to inspire students at a graduation ceremony.

More from William Howard Taft

The President can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power in the Federal Constitution or in an act of Congress passed in pursuance thereof. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest.
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The secret of Masonry, like the secret of life, can be known only by those who seek it, serve it, live it. It cannot be uttered; it can only be felt and acted. It is, in fact, an open secret, and each man knows it according to his quest and capacity. Like all things worth knowing, no one can know it for another and no man can know it alone.
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The intoxication of power rapidly sobers off in the knowledge of its restrictions and under the prompt reminder of an ever-present and not always considerate press, as well as the kindly suggestions that not infrequently come from Congress.
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I think his greatest fault is his failure to accord credit to anyone for what he may have done. This is a great weakness in any man.
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There is nothing so despicable as a secret society that is based upon religious prejudice and that will attempt to defeat a man because of his religious beliefs. Such a society is like a cockroach - it thrives in the dark. So do those who combine for such an end.
William Howard TaftRead
As a people, we have the problem of making our forests outlast this generation, or iron outlast this century, and our coal the next; not merely as a matter of convenience or comfort, but as a matter of stern necessity.
William Howard TaftRead

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Quote by William Howard Taft | QuoteProject