30 quotes from US presidents to uplift and inspire

Throughout American history, our presidents have shared many wise words. Some of their most famous lines include "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" to "ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country."

From inaugural addresses to speeches commemorating events, our commander-in-chiefs have shaped history, impacting our nation and uplifting the American public since its inception.

If you're looking for some motivation or guidance, here are quotes from several U.S. presidents to raise your spirit.

Presidential quotes

• "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." – Theodore Roosevelt

• "A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on." – John F. Kennedy

• "We cannot build our own future without helping others to build theirs." – Bill Clinton

• "Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." – Barack Obama

• "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence." – Calvin Coolidge

• "The best way to predict your future is to create it." – Abraham Lincoln

• "Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." – Franklin Delano Roosevelt

• "We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." – Jimmy Carter

• "Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages." – George Washington

• "Everything in life should be done with reflection." – John Adams

• "For we are given power not to advance our own purposes, nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people." – George W. Bush

• "We are bound together by the most powerful of all ties, our fervent love for freedom and independence, which knows no homeland but the human heart." – Gerald Ford

• "The life of a republic lies certainly in the energy, virtue, and intelligence of its citizens." – Andrew Johnson

• "For history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid." – Dwight D. Eisenhower

• "You know, doing what is right is easy. The problem is knowing what is right." – Lyndon B. Johnson

• "Losing is never easy. Trust me, I know something about that. But if you have to lose, that's the way to do it: Fight with all you have. Give it your best shot. And win or lose, learn from it, and get on with life." – George H.W Bush

• "A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor." – Franklin Delano Roosevelt

• "On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock." – Thomas Jefferson

• "There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit." – Ronald Reagan

• "Though our challenges are fearsome, so are our strengths. And Americans have ever been a restless, questing, hopeful people." – Bill Clinton

• "Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives." – James Madison

• "Words without actions are the assassins of idealism." – Herbert Hoover

• "We must support our rights or lose our character, and with it, perhaps, our liberties." – James Monroe

• "It’s important to make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds." – Barack Obama

• "Do your best, history will do the rest." – Harry S. Truman

• "The difference between a strong man and a weak one is that the former does not give up after a defeat." – Woodrow Wilson

• "If the problem is fear, the answer is knowledge." – Joe Biden

• "If you take no risks, you will suffer no defeats. But if you take no risks, you win no victories." – Richard Nixon

• "Strong hearts and helpful hands are needed, and, fortunately, we have them in every part of our beloved country." – William McKinley

• "I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." – Thomas Jefferson

Looking for more? 50 motivational quotes for peak inspiration.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 30 presidential quotes to inspire