I hope that this quote isn't so well known that it's cliche but it is one of my personal favorites.
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On, has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race."
It's rather ironic that this quote is coming from someone who advocated doing as little as possible as president, refused to run for a second term because he felt he would be elected for too long, and very arguably contributed to the Great Depression that happened the year after his term ended.
and very arguably contributed to the Great Depression that happened the year after his term ended.
The Great Depression was triggered by the US Fed (created in 1913), which massively increased the money supply, and the passage of the disastrous Smoot-Hawley trade protection bill in 1929.
Note that the money supply increase gave birth to the Roaring 20's, not unlike what we've had for the last seven years (up till early 2008). Note that the current US administration is also increasing trade protection as well (Chinese tires, etc.)
How so? His political decisions and policy were based on his conviction that the federal government should have as little role as possible and that social, financial, corporate and labour regulations should be implemented at the state level. We may argue about the wisdom of this view and the role it may or may not have had in creating the Great Depression, but I don't see how it conflicts with his personal views on talent and perseverance.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On, has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race."
Calvin Coolidge