Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) was the 30th President of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. He was known for his reserved manner, fiscal restraint and plainspoken speeches.
5 quotes in this collection. Read them below, share your favourites, or follow the related links to explore similar voices.
All quotes by Calvin Coolidge
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“We can not lower our standards to what we think will pay, but we must raise them to what we think is right.”
Meaning: Coolidge delivered this at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day 1924, linking freedom with obligation. Success measured only by profit can corrupt. When a shortcut would pay off but feels wrong, choose the harder, honest option and let your reputation build over time. -
“There is ample work for all in this country provided all will work.”
Meaning: Coolidge wrote this in a Good Housekeeping article on whose country America is, stressing that opportunity exists for those willing to put in effort. The point carries into daily life: instead of waiting for the perfect opening, take a small job, project or class that builds skills and contacts. -
“Industry, thrift, character, cannot be conferred by act or resolve. Government cannot relieve from toil. Do the day's work.”
Meaning: In a 1920 speech, Coolidge argued that good habits and prosperity must be built by individuals, not handed down by law. His closing instruction was simple. Pick the most important task you have today, finish it before checking messages, and repeat tomorrow. -
“'Do the day's work', I have said, and it should be done in the remembrance that all work is dignified.”
Meaning: Speaking at Howard University's commencement, Coolidge repeated his favorite advice and added that no honest job is lowly. Treat every responsibility, from filing reports to cleaning a kitchen, as worth doing carefully. That attitude makes people trust you and opens the way to bigger roles. -
“It is not industry, but idleness, that is degrading.”
Meaning: Coolidge wrote this in his autobiography while describing his view of honest labor and the dignity it gives a person. He saw work as a source of self-respect rather than a burden. If a task feels beneath you, do it well anyway and notice how your confidence grows.