Ronald Reagan Quotes on Leadership, Freedom and Success

These Ronald Reagan quotes are full of wisdom and prove why some refer to him as one of the best US presidents of all time.

In the comments below, tell us which quote inspired you the most.

Born Ronald Wilson Reagan on February 6, 1911 to John Edward “Jack” Reagan and Nellie Wilson Reagan in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan went on to become an actor, a U.S. Governor, and the President.

According to a Gallup poll, Ronald Reagan consistently ranks among the most popular U.S. presidents, with a 2019 survey showing that 62% of Americans view him favorably.

This highlights the enduring legacy of Reagan and his impact on American politics and culture.

Rold Reagan started his career as an actor and in 1937 signed to Warner Brothers.

Over the next thirty years, he would appear in over 50 different films.

His most notable appearances were in the 1940 biopic Knute Rockne, All American, and the 1942 film Kings Row.

In 1940, Reagan married fellow star, actress Jane Wyman, but they divorced in 1948.

Reagan served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1947 to 1952, and it was then that he met Nancy Davis, an actor he would marry in 1952.

In 1952, Reagan hosted The General Electric Theater, and this is where his political views shifted from liberal to conservative.

In 1964, he gave a televised speech for Barry Goldwater, and two years later, he won the California governorship in a landslide.

He was reelected in 1970.

In both 1968 and 1976, Reagan attempted to make bids for the Republican presidential nomination, but he didn’t receive the nod until 1980, in which election he defeated Jimmy Carter.

He was the oldest president elected, at the age of 69.

An assassination attempt occurred on March 30, 1981, when the President was hit, but he survived.

A major history-making moment of Reagan’s presidency was when, in 1981, he appointed Judge Sandra Day O’Connor as the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

Reagan was reelected in a landslide and left office in 1989.

The days after his time in the White House were mostly spent dealing with Alzheimer’s disease for almost a decade before his death on June 5, 2004.

Don’t forget to also read these wise presidential quotes and sayings from past presidents.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration.

Check out our inspirational quotes category page for more inspirational life quotes.

Inspirational Ronald Reagan Quotes

A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the economic policies implemented during Reagan’s presidency helped spur economic growth and job creation, leading to a period of prosperity and expansion in the 1980s.

This underscores Reagan’s emphasis on free-market principles and his belief in the power of entrepreneurship and innovation.

1. “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.” – Ronald Reagan

You will also enjoy our article on mentor quotes.

2. “Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” – Ronald Reagan

You will also enjoy our article on freedom of speech quotes.

3. “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” – Ronald Reagan

4. “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” – Ronald Reagan

5. “Coercion, after all, merely captures man. Freedom captivates him.” – Ronald Reagan

6. “Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.” – Ronald Reagan

Also, check out these John McCain quotes about character, America and more.

Ronald Reagan Quotes on Leadership

Research by the University of Virginia has found that Reagan’s leadership style, which emphasized optimism, communication, and a strong moral compass, helped him build a broad coalition of supporters and achieve significant policy successes during his presidency.

This underscores the importance of effective leadership and the impact that leadership style can have on achieving goals and inspiring others.

7. “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” – Ronald Reagan

8. “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” – Ronald Reagan

9. “Don’t be afraid to see what you see.” – Ronald Reagan

10. “Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.” – Ronald Reagan

11. “Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.” – Ronald Reagan

12. “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be one nation gone under.” – Ronald Reagan

13. “The struggle now going on for the world will never be decided by bombs or rockets, by armies or military might. The real crisis we face today is a spiritual one; at root, it is a test of moral will and faith.” – Ronald Reagan

14. “I used to say that politics was the second-oldest profession. I have come to know that it bears a gross similarity to the first.” – Ronald Reagan

15. “Freedom is the right to question and change the established way of doing things.” – Ronald Reagan

16. “One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It’s very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project.” – Ronald Reagan

17. “Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.” – Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan Quotes on Freedom

18. “Welfare’s purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence.” – Ronald Reagan

19. “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.” – Ronald Reagan

20. “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.” – Ronald Reagan

21. “The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away.” – Ronald Reagan

22. “There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder.” – Ronald Reagan

23. “My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose. Somehow we win out.” – Ronald Reagan

24. “Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” – Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan quotes to elevate your mind

25. “Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.’ And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying.” – Ronald Reagan

Which Ronald Reagan quotes are your favorite?

Ronald Reagan is one of those politicians that you either loved or really hated.

Regardless of which camp you fall into, it is undeniable that Ronald Reagan is an important part of American History.

Do you have any other Ronald Reagan quotes you would like to see added to the list?

Let us know in the comment section below.