As a child, many dream of being the President of the United States of America. Why wouldn’t you? It seems like they have the best house to live in, the best foods to eat, get chauffeured around wherever they want to go and can boss around whoever they want to boss around. As I have gotten older, I now realize that is not what the job of the President entails at all. In many ways, it is a thankless job. Every decision is scrutinized. No matter what you do, you have some people who love you, and some people hate you. I cannot imagine the stress of the daily grind. One of the more startling images is to see side-by-side pictures of a president at the beginning of his term and the ending of his term.
I love to study leadership. A great place to study leadership is to study our past presidents. A bucket-list item for me is to visit every Presidential Library. I have been to many. My two favorites are probably the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA, and the Abraham Lincoln Library in Springfield, IL. In these libraries/museums, one can get a snapshot of the president’s life. Another way to get a snapshot of their lives is to read their biographies. A simpler and quicker way to get a snapshot of their lives is to read their quotes. On this President’s Day, these are some of my favorite.
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. – Franklin Roosevelt
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. – John Quincy Adams
It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn’t. – Martin Van Buren
Things may come to those who wait … but only the things left by those who hustle. – Abraham Lincoln
Tell the truth, work hard, and come to dinner on time. – Gerald Ford
The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything. – Theodore Roosevelt
99% of failures come from people who make excuses. – George Washington
It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit. – Harry Truman
Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. – John Kennedy
Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. – Barack Obama
A little flattery will support a man through great fatigue. – James Monroe
In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. – Abraham Lincoln
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give hm power. – Abraham Lincoln
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. – Franklin Roosevelt
Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. – John Kennedy
Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, leave the rest to God. – Ronald Reagan
When our memories outweigh our dream, it is then that we become old. – Bill Clinton
A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits. – Richard Nixon
A brave man is a man who dares to look the Devil in the face and tell him he is a devil. – James Garfield
Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. – Calvin Coolidge