- “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States
- “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost, Poet
- “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson, Humorist
- “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, Former First Lady and Activist
- “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates (although not American, this quote is widely recognized and adopted by many Americans)
- “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker, Management Consultant
- “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill (also not American but highly influential)
- “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa, Humanitarian
- “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights Leader
- “The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.” – Joel Brown, Entrepreneur
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela (not American, but his impact extended to the United States)
- “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Philosopher
- “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States
- “The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” – Mark Zuckerberg, Co-founder of Facebook
- “Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple Inc.
- “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll, Pastor
- “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” – Jimmy Dean, Singer and Actor
- “The best revenge is massive success.” – Frank Sinatra, Singer and Actor
- “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer, Theologian
- “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama (not American, but influential in American culture)
- “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Philosopher
- “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States
- “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” – Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul
- “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I have been successful.” – Michael Jordan, Basketball Legend
- “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky, Hockey Legend
25 Transformative Quotes by American Figures
