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Theodore Roosevelt on fatherhood, character, and how to live

6 sourced quotes from Theodore Roosevelt, each with the original work, the year, and links to a primary or scholarly source you can check yourself. Selected for what they say to a man raising children.

“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…”
Citizenship in a Republic, Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, 1910
“Athletic proficiency is a mighty good servant, and like so many other good servants, a mighty bad master.”
Letters to His Children, 1903
“I care very much that you should have a really manly character; and next to character comes intellect.”
Letters to His Children, 1903
“The only thing to do is to grin and bear it, to flinch as little as possible under the punishment, and to keep pegging steadily away until the luck…”
Letters to His Children, 1906
“I could a great deal rather have him show true manliness of character than show either intellectual or physical prowess.”
Letters to His Children, letter to Ted, October 2, 1903, 1903
“It is no use to preach to children if you do not act decently yourself.”
Speech, 1903, 1903

The right words for exactly where you are right now.

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Works quoted here: Citizenship in a Republic, Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, Letters to His Children, Letters to His Children, letter to Ted, October 2, 1903, Speech, 1903.