Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes

It is mere cowardice to seek safety in negations.

The real damage is done by those millions who want to "survive." The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don't want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won't take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don't like to make waves — or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honor, truth, and principles are only literature.

We are not put into the world to sit still and know, we are put in it to act.

Closing one's eyes is not a recipe for peace. It is a simple way to embolden aggressive personalities.

I have several times made a poor choice by avoiding a necessary confrontation.

Better remain silent, better not even think, if you are not prepared to act.

To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all.

The only risk we run is by doing nothing.

Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.

To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.

All of my life, when things got too difficult, I folded up the tent and went to bed. I couldn't stand a challenge... I was terrified of confrontation. I was very laid-back, and just wouldn't get involved or fight back.

I regret that I have not written more, shouted louder, and acted out my beliefs.

It's better to not be afraid of things and not avoid things.

Fear is better than apathy because fear makes us do something.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

I wish I had more guts when I was younger because then I would've said things to people's faces instead of just running away all the time.

To sin by silence, when we should protest, Makes cowards out of men.

It is not a man's duty, as a matter of course, to devote himself to the eradication of any, even the most enormous wrong; he may still properly have other concerns to engage him; but it is his duty, at least, to wash his hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support.

Our world demands action, not passivity; actors and not mere spectators.

I am no advocate of passivity.

A liberal is a man who leaves the room when a fight begins.

In my experience, many people confuse being cowardly with being nice.

I believe that it's important to not just shy away from confrontation.

There is a time when to avoid trouble is to store up trouble, and when to seek for a lazy and a cowardly peace is to court a still greater danger.

Sometimes I wonder which is worse - confrontational people who are afraid of caring or caring people who are afraid of confrontation.