--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: May our country be always successful, but…" description: "\"May our country be always successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right.\" — John Quincy Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-quincy-adams-2098_america_may-our-country-be-always-successful-but_531523.png" --- # May our country be always successful, but whether… ![“May our country be always successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right.” quote by John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-quincy-adams-2098_america_may-our-country-be-always-successful-but_531523.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-quincy-adams-2098_america_may-our-country-be-always-successful-but_531523.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-quincy-adams-2098_america_may-our-country-be-always-successful-but_531523.png) > “May our country be always successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right.” [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wishes national success while emphasizing moral correctness over mere achievement. **In simple terms:** Success should align with righteousness. Key Takeaway Prioritize ethical integrity. Themes politics ethics leadership Mood reflective optimistic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - government decisionmaking - legislative debates - national celebrations Key Concepts Moral philosophy public policy Questions to Reflect On - How do we measure a nation's rightness? - Can success exist without moral grounding? A Different Perspective Success without virtue can be hollow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-successful-1679061/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Our country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-country/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Presidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-right-2422886/) [Successful Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-successful-355025/) ## Related quotes > [“My toast would be, may our country always be successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/my-toast-would-be-may-our-country-always-be-successful-but-whether/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There are a lot of people who think that's what's needed to be successful is always being right, always being careful, always picking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-think-that-s-what-s-needed-to-be/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [Regis Philbin is very successful in his own right. We have a new thing where he have chairs and we sit and talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/regis-philbin-is-very-successful-in-his-own-right-we-have-a-new-thing/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I am not from the political or banking elite. I am a child of the middle class far from Paris. And if someone had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-macron/i-am-not-from-the-political-or-banking-elite-i-am-a-child-of-the/) [Emmanuel Macron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-macron/) > [The country that's been most successful at that is Norway. The more typical countries are those in the Middle East where a small group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-country-that-s-been-most-successful-at-that-is-norway-the-more/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [No country is ever successful in the long term... without a really strong and vibrant manufacturing base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-mulally/no-country-is-ever-successful-in-the-long-term-without-a-really/) [Alan Mulally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-mulally/) > [Being from Serbia makes us tough and eager to prove that we can come from this country that has been through so much and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-ivanovic/being-from-serbia-makes-us-tough-and-eager-to-prove-that-we-can-come/) [Ana Ivanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-ivanovic/) > [I think that in a country as successful as ours, we still have a long way to go in terms of parity for women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-think-that-in-a-country-as-successful-as-ours-we-still-have-a-long/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Do not let anyone get away with the argument that tearing our country out of one of the most successful partnerships in our history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-boothroyd/do-not-let-anyone-get-away-with-the-argument-that-tearing-our-country/) [Betty Boothroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-boothroyd/) > [You want to show kids they can be successful. Be successful and toss it in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-green/you-want-to-show-kids-they-can-be-successful-be-successful-and-toss/) [Al Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-green/) > [The main thing that excites me is that games are successful everywhere now. Now it's successful everywhere, and that's really important for the health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/the-main-thing-that-excites-me-is-that-games-are-successful/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [The major difference I've found between the highly successful and the least successful is that the highly successful stick to it. They have staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-lansing/the-major-difference-i-ve-found-between-the-highly-successful-and-the/) [Sherry Lansing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-lansing/) > [Real Winners find joy in being successful. And to be successful is to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/real-winners-find-joy-in-being-successful-and-to-be-successful-is-to/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [I am not bound by material things. It's being successful that drives me forward. I love success. I don't wake up in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-pietersen/i-am-not-bound-by-material-things-it-s-being-successful-that-drives/) [Kevin Pietersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-pietersen/) > [I believe there's a strong difference between something being good and something being successful. The successful thing is something we have no control over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-warchus/i-believe-there-s-a-strong-difference-between-something-being-good/) [Matthew Warchus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-warchus/) ## More by John Quincy Adams > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [ ...he \[Muhammad\] declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind...The precept of the Koran is,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/he-muhammad-declared-undistinguishing-and-exterminating-war-as-a-part/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-man-s-diary-is-a-record-in-youth-of-his-sentiments-in-middle-age-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There still remains one effort of magnanimity, one sacrifice of prejudice and passion, to be made by the individuals throughout the nation who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/there-still-remains-one-effort-of-magnanimity-one-sacrifice-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [To live without having a Cicero and a Tacitus at hand seems to me as if it was aprivation of one of my limbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/to-live-without-having-a-cicero-and-a-tacitus-at-hand-seems-to-me-as/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [ The Law given from Sinai \[The Ten Commandments\] was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-law-given-from-sinai-the-ten-commandments-was-a-civil-and/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Whoever tells the best story wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/whoever-tells-the-best-story-wins/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will be America's heart, her benedictions and her prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/wherever-the-standard-of-freedom-and-independence-has-been-or-shall/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The gigantic intellect, the envious temper, the ravenous ambition and the rotten heart of Daniel Webster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-gigantic-intellect-the-envious-temper-the-ravenous-ambition-and/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“If the fundamental principles in the Declaration of Independence, as self-evident truths, are real truths, the existence of slavery, in any form, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/if-the-fundamental-principles-in-the-declaration-of-independence-as/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Individual liberty is individual power, and as the power of a community is a mass compounded of individual powers, the nation which enjoys the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/individual-liberty-is-individual-power-and-as-the-power-of-a/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Of all persecuted sects, the Baptists stand forth as most prominent, simply and only because they aim at a more complete and thorough reform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/of-all-persecuted-sects-the-baptists-stand-forth-as-most-prominent/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“It is my wish to fill every moment of my time with some action of the mind which may contribute to the pleasure or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/it-is-my-wish-to-fill-every-moment-of-my-time-with-some-action-of-the/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but where men are who know how to take care of themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/not-stones-nor-wood-nor-the-art-of-artisans-make-a-state-but-where/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) [Explore all 186 John Quincy Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "May our country be always successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Quincy Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/may-our-country-be-always-successful-but-whether-successful-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/may-our-country-be-always-successful-but-whether-successful-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-quincy-adams-2098_america_may-our-country-be-always-successful-but_531523.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-quincy-adams-2098_america_may-our-country-be-always-successful-but_531523.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1e/john-quincy-adams-2098_america_may-our-country-be-always-successful-but_531523.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“May our country be always successful, but whether successful or otherwise, always right.” — John Quincy Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Quincy Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "May our country be always successful,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/may-our-country-be-always-successful-but-whether-successful-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/may-our-country-be-always-successful-but-whether-successful-or/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```