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
Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Talk alone is insufficient; action is necessary for true greatness.
This quote by Theodore Roosevelt emphasizes the importance of taking action rather than just relying on words or rhetoric. He argues that for a nation to achieve greatness, it must go beyond mere discussions and take significant steps towards its goals, highlighting the vital link between what we say and what we do.
Themes
ActionRhetoricGreatnessNation
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about leadership, one might use this quote to encourage moving from planning to execution.
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.
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Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.
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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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