--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A President's hardest task is not to do…" description: "\"A President's hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right.\" — Lyndon B. Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/lyndon-b-johnson-684_hardest_a-president-s-hardest-task-is-not-to-do_570543.png" --- # A President's hardest task is not to do what is right, but… ![“A President's hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right.” quote by Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/lyndon-b-johnson-684_hardest_a-president-s-hardest-task-is-not-to-do_570543.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/lyndon-b-johnson-684_hardest_a-president-s-hardest-task-is-not-to-do_570543.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/lyndon-b-johnson-684_hardest_a-president-s-hardest-task-is-not-to-do_570543.png) > “A President's hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right.” [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership requires moral discernment, not just action; knowing the right path is the hardest part. **In simple terms:** Knowing right is hardest. Key Takeaway Cultivate moral clarity. Themes leadership ethics decision‑making Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - government - business - personal life - crisis management Key Concepts philosophy politics responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you determine what is right? - What processes help you clarify ethical choices? A Different Perspective Moral certainty is rare; context changes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) [Hardest Task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-task-267046/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-hardest-4710530/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/task/) [Task Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/task-right-4000737/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [What is the hardest task in the world? To think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-is-the-hardest-task-in-the-world-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The task of being right is a task the father perfects over time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/the-task-of-being-right-is-a-task-the-father-perfects-over-time/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [The hardest task of a girl's life, nowadays, is to prove to a man that his intentions are serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/the-hardest-task-of-a-girl-s-life-nowadays-is-to-prove-to-a-man-that/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [“If you must know anything, know that the hardest task is to live only once. That a woman on a sinking ship becomes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ocean-vuong/if-you-must-know-anything-know-that-the-hardest-task-is-to-live-only/) [Ocean Vuong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ocean-vuong/) > [The hardest task needs the lightest hand or else its completion will not lead to freedom but to a tyranny much worse than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-hardest-task-needs-the-lightest-hand-or-else-its-completion-will/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [One of the most essential yet the hardest truths that I have had to learn is that every person should be his own hardest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/one-of-the-most-essential-yet-the-hardest-truths-that-i-have-had-to/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The hardest task in a girl's life is to prove to a man that his intentions are serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/the-hardest-task-in-a-girl-s-life-is-to-prove-to-a-man-that-his/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [To endure oneself may be the hardest task in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/to-endure-oneself-may-be-the-hardest-task-in-the-universe/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [After self-nurturance, listening to the whispers of our hearts is probably the hardest task we've ever attempted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/after-self-nurturance-listening-to-the-whispers-of-our-hearts-is/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [The British monarchy has the political and constitutional task of subtracting from the government and governors of Britain the papal and kingly airs that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/the-british-monarchy-has-the-political-and-constitutional-task-of/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [I'm the only president you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-m-the-only-president-you-ve-got/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Never help a child with a task that they feel they can complete themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/never-help-a-child-with-a-task-that-they-feel-they-can-complete/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [I shaped my reputation in this business and this outlook in this business being singularly focused on the task at hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-shaped-my-reputation-in-this-business-and-this-outlook-in-this/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [Drag is about whatever persona you put on to do a particular task. I could pick up trash in the morning and throw on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aquaria/drag-is-about-whatever-persona-you-put-on-to-do-a-particular-task-i/) [Aquaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aquaria/) > [We got orders to strike the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. We had a task force with the Enterprise. We had two or three cruisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-ross/we-got-orders-to-strike-the-marshall-and-gilbert-islands-we-had-a/) [Barney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-ross/) ## More by Lyndon B. Johnson > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject itself, or know where to find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/knowledge-is-of-two-kinds-we-know-a-subject-itself-or-know-where-to/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [We come to reason, not to dominate. We do not seek to have our way, but to find a common way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/we-come-to-reason-not-to-dominate-we-do-not-seek-to-have-our-way-but/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I have learned that only two things are necessary to keep one's wife happy. First, let her think she's having her own way. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-have-learned-that-only-two-things-are-necessary-to-keep-one-s-wife/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [For me, it is a deep personal tragedy. I know that the world shares the sorrow that Mrs. Kennedy and her family bear. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/for-me-it-is-a-deep-personal-tragedy-i-know-that-the-world-shares-the/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Today, 8 million adult Americans, more than the entire population of Michigan, have not finished 5 years of school. Nearly 20 million have not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/today-8-million-adult-americans-more-than-the-entire-population-of/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Republicans simply don't know how to manage the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/republicans-simply-don-t-know-how-to-manage-the-economy/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I don't believe I'll ever get credit for anything I do in foreign affairs, no matter how successful it is, because I didn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-don-t-believe-i-ll-ever-get-credit-for-anything-i-do-in-foreign/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [There are no favorites in my office. I treat them all with the same general inconsideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-are-no-favorites-in-my-office-i-treat-them-all-with-the-same/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I'm the only president you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-m-the-only-president-you-ve-got/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I am afraid, ... that health begins, after seventy, and often long before, to have a meaning different from that which it had at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-am-afraid-that-health-begins-after-seventy-and-often-long-before-to/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [The family is the corner stone of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/the-family-is-the-corner-stone-of-our-society/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Never make a speech at a country dance or a football game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/never-make-a-speech-at-a-country-dance-or-a-football-game/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Our society is illuminated by the spiritual insights of the Hebrew prophets. America and Israel have a common love of human freedom and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/our-society-is-illuminated-by-the-spiritual-insights-of-the-hebrew/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) [Explore all 411 Lyndon B. Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## More Hardest quotes > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“The hardest roads are often empty; the darkest paths are mostly silent; toughest destinations are almost peopleless! No easy road brings you great victory!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-hardest-roads-are-often-empty-the-darkest-paths-are-mostly-silent/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Somebody's real voice is probably the hardest one that somebody could attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-west/somebody-s-real-voice-is-probably-the-hardest-one-that-somebody-could/) [Billy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-west/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) [John Randolph of Roanoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-randolph-of-roanoke/) > [I was in good shape from Divergent. Damien Chazelle, the director of Whiplash told me, ‘Stop Working Out! Don’t go outside!’ He wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/i-was-in-good-shape-from-divergent-damien-chazelle-the-director-of/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [For a lot of women, one of the hardest things about leadership is the desire to be liked by everyone. That's often inconsistent with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weddington/for-a-lot-of-women-one-of-the-hardest-things-about-leadership-is-the/) [Sarah Weddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weddington/) > [Hardest emotion? They're all pretty damn hard; I don't know really if there's one specifically, but I do think, I don't know what's happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/hardest-emotion-they-re-all-pretty-damn-hard-i-don-t-know-really-if/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [In a compass, we got north, south, east and west, right? But in between that, you got things like north-east - now that, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-the-chicago-kid/in-a-compass-we-got-north-south-east-and-west-right-but-in-between/) [BJ the Chicago Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-the-chicago-kid/) > [I think that one of the hardest things in the world to be is a black male. I mean everyone hates your guts. White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-that-one-of-the-hardest-things-in-the-world-to-be-is-a-black/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. 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