--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means of…" description: "\"F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means of imposing his temperament and intellect on the world but by reacting to what the world threw at him.\" — Mauree..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/maureen-dowd-6927_greatness_f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of_482316.jpg" --- # F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means of imposing his… ![“F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means of imposing his temperament and intellect on the world but by reacting to what the world threw at him.” quote by Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/maureen-dowd-6927_greatness_f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of_482316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/maureen-dowd-6927_greatness_f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of_482316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/maureen-dowd-6927_greatness_f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of_482316.jpg) > “F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means of imposing his temperament and intellect on the world but by reacting to what the world threw at him.” [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness often emerges from adapting to circumstances rather than imposing one’s will. **In simple terms:** Adapt to succeed. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility. Themes adaptability leadership humility Mood thoughtful analytical Type political motivational When to use this quote - career challenges - crisis management - personal growth Key Concepts political science psychology Questions to Reflect On - When have you adapted successfully? - What costs does adaptation bring? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on adaptability may ignore personal values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Temperament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temperament/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-quality-for-an-investor-is-temperament-not/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-quality-for-an-investor-is-temperament-not-2/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [If there's no world 'out there' what are you reacting to? Ask yourself that question every moment of every day when your peace is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-wapnick/if-there-s-no-world-out-there-what-are-you-reacting-to-ask-yourself/) [Kenneth Wapnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-wapnick/) > [If you don't look at yourself and evaluate it, you instead see how the world's reacting to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/if-you-don-t-look-at-yourself-and-evaluate-it-you-instead-see-how-the/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [No one ever achieved greatness by playing it safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-gray/no-one-ever-achieved-greatness-by-playing-it-safe/) Harry Gray > [people who personify the system are indeed well known for not being what they seem to be; they have achieved greatness by embracing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-debord/people-who-personify-the-system-are-indeed-well-known-for-not-being/) [Guy Debord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-debord/) > [No one has ever achieved greatness without dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-has-ever-achieved-greatness-without-dreams/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There’s not a person in history who achieved greatness without choking back some pride, without ever smiling at someone they despised, without playing along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-kincaid-2/there-s-not-a-person-in-history-who-achieved-greatness-without/) [S. J. Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-kincaid-2/) > [We tend to look at successful athletes and make them almost bigger than life. I have seen many young men who have achieved greatness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/we-tend-to-look-at-successful-athletes-and-make-them-almost-bigger/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Hitler was so modern, in that he was obsessed with being famous. He was caught up with this rush to be have achieved greatness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/hitler-was-so-modern-in-that-he-was-obsessed-with-being-famous-he-was/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [He who is greatest among you shall be a servant. That's the new definition of greatness. ... By giving that definition of greatness, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/he-who-is-greatest-among-you-shall-be-a-servant-that-s-the-new/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Greatness means setting out to make some difference somewhere to someone in someplace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-daskal/greatness-means-setting-out-to-make-some-difference-somewhere-to/) [Lolly Daskal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-daskal/) > [True greatness means that, even if you forget what you've done for others, you never forget what others have done for you. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josei-toda/true-greatness-means-that-even-if-you-forget-what-you-ve-done-for/) [Josei Toda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josei-toda/) > [The pursuit of greatness means that laziness has no place in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/the-pursuit-of-greatness-means-that-laziness-has-no-place-in-your-life/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [Of what is great one must either be silent or speak with greatness. With greatness--that means cynically and with innocence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/of-what-is-great-one-must-either-be-silent-or-speak-with-greatness/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Maureen Dowd > [If there's one thing white men have never had a problem with in this clubby, white marble enclave of Washington, it's getting pulled up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/if-there-s-one-thing-white-men-have-never-had-a-problem-with-in-this/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [When you're young, and even at times when you're older, it's hard to fathom this: What needs to be nurtured is the stuff that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/when-you-re-young-and-even-at-times-when-you-re-older-it-s-hard-to/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [“Who knows? If women all end up with the same face and body, men may gravitate toward the quirky. Then the chicks with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/who-knows-if-women-all-end-up-with-the-same-face-and-body-men-may/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Why can't Google, which likes to see itself as a 'Don't Be Evil' benevolent force in society, just write us a big check for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/why-can-t-google-which-likes-to-see-itself-as-a-don-t-be-evil/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [“Materialism has defeated feminism as well. In a sign of the times, Gloria Steinem was on the picket line when the first American DeBeers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/materialism-has-defeated-feminism-as-well-in-a-sign-of-the-times/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [“Romantic googling can be as dangerous as drunk text messaging. 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But now that can come across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/obama-invented-himself-against-all-odds-and-repeated-parental/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Feminism died in 1998 when Hillary allowed henchlings and Democrats to demonize Monica as an unbalanced stalker, and when Gloria Steinem defended Mr. Clinton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/feminism-died-in-1998-when-hillary-allowed-henchlings-and-democrats/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [President Obama thinks he can use emotion to bring pressure on Congress. But that's not how adults with power respond to things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/president-obama-thinks-he-can-use-emotion-to-bring-pressure-on/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [ Now that Hillary \[Clinton\] has won Pennsylvania, it will take a village to help Obama escape from the suffocating embrace of his rival. Certainly… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/now-that-hillary-clinton-has-won-pennsylvania-it-will-take-a-village/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [I don't understand men. I don't even understand what I don't understand about men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/i-don-t-understand-men-i-don-t-even-understand-what-i-don-t/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [Good and evil are not like the Redskins and the Cowboys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/good-and-evil-are-not-like-the-redskins-and-the-cowboys/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [And as far as doing God's work, I think the bankers who took government money and then gave out obscene bonuses are the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/and-as-far-as-doing-god-s-work-i-think-the-bankers-who-took/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [It is men's worst fear, personally and professionally, that women will pin the sin on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/it-is-men-s-worst-fear-personally-and-professionally-that-women-will/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) [Explore all 96 Maureen Dowd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) ## More Greatness quotes > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Every man who is high up likes to think that he has done it all himself, and the wife smiles and lets it go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-who-is-high-up-likes-to-think-that-he-has-done-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Great men don't 'move to the center' - great men move the center!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/great-men-don-t-move-to-the-center-great-men-move-the-center/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) Whitney Gaskell [Browse all 7,631 Greatness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means of imposing his temperament and intellect on the world but by reacting to what the world threw at him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maureen Dowd" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of-imposing-his-temperament-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Greatness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of-imposing-his-temperament-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/maureen-dowd-6927_greatness_f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of_482316.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/maureen-dowd-6927_greatness_f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of_482316.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/maureen-dowd-6927_greatness_f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of_482316.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means of imposing his temperament and intellect on the world but by…” — Maureen Dowd", "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": "Maureen Dowd", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "F.D.R. achieved greatness not by means...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of-imposing-his-temperament-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/f-d-r-achieved-greatness-not-by-means-of-imposing-his-temperament-and/#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 } } ] } ```