May the sun never set on American baseball.
Harry S. TrumanRead
I wonder how far Moses would have gone if he had taken a poll in Egypt? What would Jesus Christ have preached if He had taken a poll in the land of Israel? Where would the Reformation have gone if Martin Luther had taken a poll? It isn't polls or public opinion alone of the moment that counts.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of conviction over public opinion in leadership roles.
Harry S. Truman argues that true leadership requires one to have the courage to make decisions based on conviction rather than following public opinion or polls. He points out historical figures like Moses, Jesus Christ, and Martin Luther, implying that their impactful actions and teachings would not have been realized if they had conformed to the popular sentiments of their times.
Themes
LeadershipConvictionPublic OpinionCourageHistory
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about decision-making in business, one could reference this quote to highlight the importance of leadership over following trends.
More from Harry S. Truman
All quotes →Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and executed American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned all pretense of obeying international laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans.
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Herbert Hoover once ran on the slogan, 'Two cars in every garage'. Apparently, the Republican candidate this year is running on the slogan, 'Two families in every garage'.
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The only things worth learning are the things you learn after you know it all.
Harry S. TrumanRead
I never would have agreed to the formulation of the Central Intelligence Agency back in forty-seven, if I had known it would become the American Gestapo.
Harry S. TrumanRead
I would rather have peace in the world than be President.
Harry S. TrumanRead
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