--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some critics have suggested that Ronald…" description: "\"Some critics have suggested that Ronald Reagan succeeded in a series of careers, ultimately as a two-term president of the United States, by a series o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/james-m-strock-14864_criticism_some-critics-have-suggested-that-ronald_1577952.jpg" --- # Some critics have suggested that Ronald Reagan succeeded… ![“Some critics have suggested that Ronald Reagan succeeded in a series of careers, ultimately as a two-term president of the United States, by a series of fortunate accidents. Such a criticism is not backed by the evidence. It is true, though, that Reagan's approach to work and life was not…” quote by James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/james-m-strock-14864_criticism_some-critics-have-suggested-that-ronald_1577952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/james-m-strock-14864_criticism_some-critics-have-suggested-that-ronald_1577952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/james-m-strock-14864_criticism_some-critics-have-suggested-that-ronald_1577952.jpg) > “Some critics have suggested that Ronald Reagan succeeded in a series of careers, ultimately as a two-term president of the United States, by a series of fortunate accidents. Such a criticism is not backed by the evidence. It is true, though, that Reagan's approach to work and life was not conventional.” [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reagan’s success is often attributed to luck, but evidence shows his unconventional methods and strategic choices were key. **In simple terms:** Reagan succeeded through strategy, not luck. Key Takeaway Focus on strategic, unconventional approaches. Themes politics leadership strategy Mood analytical critical Type political historical When to use this quote - campaign management - policy making - public speaking - leadership training Key Concepts political science career development Questions to Reflect On - How did Reagan’s unconventional tactics shape his presidency? - What risks do unconventional strategies entail? A Different Perspective Luck alone cannot sustain long‑term political success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Work and life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-and-life/) ## Related quotes > [Ronald Reagan succeeded in bringing down the Iron Curtain by showing strength and resolutely standing up to the Soviet Union. President Trump needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/ronald-reagan-succeeded-in-bringing-down-the-iron-curtain-by-showing/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Reagan's approach will achieve one of the basic goals of the conservative: Things remain basically the same. The rich stay rich and the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-royko/reagan-s-approach-will-achieve-one-of-the-basic-goals-of-the/) [Mike Royko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-royko/) > [Ronald Reagan's career was so unusual, so unprecedented, that this would be very interesting to learn, to gain understanding of his way of looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/ronald-reagan-s-career-was-so-unusual-so-unprecedented-that-this/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Ronald Reagan was a traditionalist - who purposefully, effectively unleashed innovation and change in himself, in the nation, and in the world. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/ronald-reagan-was-a-traditionalist-who-purposefully-effectively/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [It was a particular pleasure to examine President Ronald Reagan's leadership. I experienced it first-hand, as a member of his administration in several capacities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/it-was-a-particular-pleasure-to-examine-president-ronald-reagan-s/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Anti-Tax fetishist Grover Norquist owns a bust of Ronald Reagan, who raised taxes 11 times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fugelsang/anti-tax-fetishist-grover-norquist-owns-a-bust-of-ronald-reagan-who/) [John Fugelsang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fugelsang/) > [Ronald Reagan had a kind of shallow movie-star charisma - a combination of makeup and the skill of a good actor - but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/ronald-reagan-had-a-kind-of-shallow-movie-star-charisma-a-combination/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [The legacy of Ronald Reagan will live on forever. 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There were certain realities that he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/everything-ronald-reagan-got-the-tax-cuts-he-had-democrats/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Ronald Reagan just signed the new tax law. But I think he was in Hollywood too long. He signed it, 'Best wishes, Ronald Reagan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/ronald-reagan-just-signed-the-new-tax-law-but-i-think-he-was-in/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [Ronald Reagan's biographer wrote of the former president's final days: "for all the intimate familiarity of that face and body, I did not feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-morris/ronald-reagan-s-biographer-wrote-of-the-former-president-s-final-days/) Edwin Morris ## More by James M Strock > [When Americans decry our politicians, we must remember that ultimately, politicians reflect us. When we demand more than mediocrity - and the passing comforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/when-americans-decry-our-politicians-we-must-remember-that-ultimately/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [William Ewart Gladstone is credited with the credo that a prime minister must be a "good butcher." The metaphor is apt insofar as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/william-ewart-gladstone-is-credited-with-the-credo-that-a-prime/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [I attended law school, the progression into a career in corporate law was almost foreordained. I set about to craft a career reflective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/i-attended-law-school-the-progression-into-a-career-in-corporate-law/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [I would suggest two approaches to begin the leadership journey in earnest. First would be to ask oneself, in every interaction with others over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/i-would-suggest-two-approaches-to-begin-the-leadership-journey-in/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [If leadership is, fundamentally, about serving others, then any one person should be able to move between being a "leader" and a "follower."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/if-leadership-is-fundamentally-about-serving-others-then-any-one/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Theodore Roosevelt is a natural choice for leadership education. Along with many other observers, I believe he was among the greatest of leaders to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/theodore-roosevelt-is-a-natural-choice-for-leadership-education-along/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [I've benefited greatly from studying many effective people from history. Among those who've influenced me the most are Ronald Reagan, Theodore Roosevelt, and Winston…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/i-ve-benefited-greatly-from-studying-many-effective-people-from/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Legal training has been quite useful in developing critical thinking. Whether one attains it in mathematics, philosophy or law, an analytic grounding can add…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/legal-training-has-been-quite-useful-in-developing-critical-thinking/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Wal-Mart, with its legendary focus on customer value in terms of price, is innovating in sustainability. Now, we're beginning to see the mirror image,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/wal-mart-with-its-legendary-focus-on-customer-value-in-terms-of-price/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Woodrow Wilson administration ended in tragedy, with his insistence on governing following his disabling stroke. I suspect President Wilson is often graded on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/woodrow-wilson-administration-ended-in-tragedy-with-his-insistence-on/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [I often encountered books by academics and others who had not actually done what they had written about. They tend to create artificial simplicity;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/i-often-encountered-books-by-academics-and-others-who-had-not/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [In a time when our nation is engaged in multiple, long-term wars, it's critical that "the military" not become an abstraction to the vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/in-a-time-when-our-nation-is-engaged-in-multiple-long-term-wars-it-s/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [There are people all around us whose lives are masterpieces of service. One thinks of parents working two or three jobs to serve their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/there-are-people-all-around-us-whose-lives-are-masterpieces-of/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [My Army reserve service was in the 1990s. It was, more than anything else, an opportunity for me to express gratitude. My understanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/my-army-reserve-service-was-in-the-1990s-it-was-more-than-anything/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Everyone knows that Theodore Roosevelt was able to wring so much life out of each day, every hour, every minute. And yet, when one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/everyone-knows-that-theodore-roosevelt-was-able-to-wring-so-much-life/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) [Explore all 45 James M Strock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some critics have suggested that Ronald Reagan succeeded in a series of careers, ultimately as a two-term president of the United States, by a series of fortunate accidents. Such a criticism is not backed by the evidence. 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