Americanism is a question of principle, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace, or creed, or line of descent.
Theodore RooseveltRead
For us is the life of action, of strenuous performance of duty; let us live in the harness, striving mightily; let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Embrace action and hard work rather than idleness, even if it leads to exhaustion.
This quote by Theodore Roosevelt emphasizes the importance of actively engaging in life and fulfilling one's responsibilities, rather than succumbing to passivity and complacency. Roosevelt advocates for a life of vigor and effort, suggesting that it is better to exhaust oneself in meaningful pursuits than to fade away unused and unfulfilled.
Themes
ActionDutyMotivationStrivePerformance
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about perseverance and hard work.
More from Theodore Roosevelt
All quotes →It tires me to talk to rich men. You expect a man of millions, the head of a great industry, to be a man worthhearing; but as a rule they don't know anything outside their own business.
Theodore RooseveltRead
No man should receive a dollar unless that dollar has been fairly earned.
Theodore RooseveltRead
Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.
Theodore RooseveltRead
Conservation means development as much as it does protection._x000D_ _x000D_ A man's usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals insofar as he can.
Theodore RooseveltRead
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. 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 at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
Theodore RooseveltRead
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