Samuel Gompers Quotes

Carefully avoid all undertakings which depends on others; but let him eagerly pursue that which depends on himself.

You've got a lot of very, very smart people standing by waiting for somebody else to do the work. Not a recipe for long-term solvency in my opinion.

No, I think it taught me to be independent and never expect a handout and never wait for anybody to hand you anything in any aspect of my life.

Doing for people what they can and ought to do for themselves is a dangerous experiment …. The welfare of the workers depends on their own initiative.

My mother often told us that it is a poor dog that will not wag its own tail.

You have people like Sarah Jessica Parker - and it's also because of her mother and where she came from and all that stuff - but how you're taught to be responsible for yourself rather than endlessly people waiting for you and bringing you things.

Doing for people what they can and ought to do for themselves is a dangerous experiment.

Don't rely on leaders to do things you're equipped to do yourself.

There is no use whatsoever in trying to help people who do not help themselves.

That's the only way we're going to get through these programs. That is true compassion. Having people become dependent on others is not compassion at all.

People who sit back and wait for somebody to take care of them are the people that if shown a way, can be useful to our society.

I was trained by my husband. He said, If you want a thing done go. If not send. I belong to that group of people who move the piano themselves.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

One can't indefinitely do for somebody what he is reluctant to do for himself.

I would continue to do the things that I do. I'd get into the field and work, and be an example to other people that you can't rely on the government to be the answer to everything.

I want people to provide for themselves.

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.

If someone else isn't making it happen for you, make it happen yourself.

The idea that somebody else is going to swoop down and play the fairy godmother role is pretty unlikely, so why not take care of yourself?

Sometimes if you want to see a change for the better, you have to take things into your own hands.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

Sometimes people need a kick in the pants to get them to do what they would be doing if government weren't there as a perpetual parent.

If you want to do something, just do it. No one is going to do it for you.

Every people should be originators of their own destiny.

My father felt that children should make their own way.