John F. Kennedy Quotes About Courage

• Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.

  John F. Kennedy

  Inspirational, Success, Courage

• Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.

  John F. Kennedy

  Inspirational, Leadership, Basketball

  John F. Kennedy's Speech at the Coliseum, Raleigh, North Carolina, September 17, 1960.

• The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy.

  John F. Kennedy

  Life, Courage, Bravery

  John F. Kennedy (1964). “Profiles In Courage”

• A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten.

  John F. Kennedy

  Leadership, Courage, Patriotic

• For in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, "hold office"; every one of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve.

  John F. Kennedy

  Courage, Responsibility, Government

  Selected Quotations from John F. Kennedy's Book "Profiles in Courage", www.jfklibrary.org. 1957.

• The stories of past courage... can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.

  John F. Kennedy

  Motivational, Courage, Inspiration

  John F. Kennedy (1964). “Profiles In Courage”

• The true democracy, living and growing and inspiring, puts its faith in the people - faith that the people will not simply elect men who will represent their views ably and faithfully, but will also elect men who will exercise their conscientious judgment - faith that the people will not condemn those whose devotion to principle leads them to unpopular courses, but will reward courage, respect honor, and ultimately recognize right.

  John F. Kennedy

  Inspirational, Courage, Exercise

  Selected Quotations from John F. Kennedy's Book "Profiles in Courage", www.jfklibrary.org. 1957.

• And when at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each of us, recording whether in our brief span of service we fulfilled our responsibilities to the state, our success or failure, in whatever office we hold, will be measured by the answers to four questions: First, were we truly men of courage... Second, were we truly men of judgment... Third, were we truly men of integrity... Finally, were we truly men of dedication?-

  John F. Kennedy

  Success, Courage, Truth

  Address to Massachusetts legislature, 9 Jan. 1961

• Moral courage is more a rare commodity than bravery in a battle or great intelligence.

  John F. Kennedy

  Courage, Bravery, Battle

• All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days . . .nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

  John F. Kennedy

  Inspirational, Life, Change

  Inaugural address, 20 Jan. 1961

• What really counts is not the immediate act of courage or of valor, but those who bear the struggle day in and day out - not the sunshine patriots but those who are willing to stand for a long period of time.

  John F. Kennedy

  Courage, Struggle, Sunshine

  Kennedy, John F. (1963). “Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1962”, p.185, Best Books on

• In whatever area in life one may meet the challenges of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience - the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men - each man must decide for himself the course he will follow. The stories of past courage can define that ingredient - they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.

  John F. Kennedy

  Courage, Inspiration, Loss

  Selected Quotations from John F. Kennedy's Book "Profiles in Courage", www.jfklibrary.org. 1957.

• To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all.

  John F. Kennedy

  Courage, Opportunity, Magic

  John F. Kennedy (1964). “Profiles In Courage”

• For without belittling the courage with which men have died, we should not forget those acts of courage with which men have lived.

  John F. Kennedy

  Courage, Men, Forget

  John F. Kennedy (1963). “Profiles in Courage”

• Any danger spot is tenable if men, brave men, will make it so.

  John F. Kennedy

  Courage, Men, Bravery

  Kennedy, John F. (1962). “Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1961”, p.534, Best Books on

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