--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government can provide opportunity. But…" description: "\"Government can provide opportunity. But opportunity means nothing unless people are prepared to seize it.\" — Richard M. Nixon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/richard-m-nixon-727_government_government-can-provide-opportunity-but-o_2863952.jpg" --- # Government can provide opportunity. But opportunity means… ![“Government can provide opportunity. But opportunity means nothing unless people are prepared to seize it.” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/richard-m-nixon-727_government_government-can-provide-opportunity-but-o_2863952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/richard-m-nixon-727_government_government-can-provide-opportunity-but-o_2863952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/richard-m-nixon-727_government_government-can-provide-opportunity-but-o_2863952.jpg) > “Government can provide opportunity. But opportunity means nothing unless people are prepared to seize it.” [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opportunity exists but only benefits those ready to act on it. **In simple terms:** Opportunities need preparation to be useful. Key Takeaway Prepare skills to seize chances. Themes economics initiative education Mood analytical pragmatic Type political economic When to use this quote - job market - entrepreneurship - career planning Key Concepts human capital social mobility policy empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What skills are needed for current opportunities? - How can society improve readiness? A Different Perspective Opportunity alone isn’t enough without access. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity; not stifle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-can-and-must-provide-opportunity-not-smother-it-foster/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I like to call the Department of Labor the Department of Opportunity, and that means opportunity for everyone - no matter whom you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-to-call-the-department-of-labor-the-department-of-opportunity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have to prioritize and learn how to sometimes say 'no,' even when there might be a good opportunity. That means turning down a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-yee/i-have-to-prioritize-and-learn-how-to-sometimes-say-no-even-when/) [Angela Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-yee/) > [It is the responsibility of leadership to provide opportunity, and the responsibility of individuals to contribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pollard/it-is-the-responsibility-of-leadership-to-provide-opportunity-and-the/) [William Pollard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pollard/) > [I look forward to meaningful roles that provide me an opportunity to perform, even if I appear only in a couple of scenes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathyapriya/i-look-forward-to-meaningful-roles-that-provide-me-an-opportunity-to/) [Sathyapriya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathyapriya/) > [The only way to ensure that our promise to provide every opportunity for students with disabilities, and help them achieve their full potential, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-smith/the-only-way-to-ensure-that-our-promise-to-provide-every-opportunity/) [Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-smith/) > [A wise Government seeks to provide the opportunity through which the best of individual achievement can be obtained, while at the same time it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/a-wise-government-seeks-to-provide-the-opportunity-through-which-the/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [It's not all about starring in a TV show for me. It's about being able to provide opportunity and employment for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-yoba/it-s-not-all-about-starring-in-a-tv-show-for-me-it-s-about-being-able/) [Malik Yoba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-yoba/) > [A school is not a factory. Its raison d'être is to provide opportunity for experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-carr-2/a-school-is-not-a-factory-its-raison-d-tre-is-to-provide-opportunity/) J. L. Carr > [Work can provide the opportunity for spiritual and personal, as well as financial, growth. If it doesn't, we're wasting far too much of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-autry/work-can-provide-the-opportunity-for-spiritual-and-personal-as-well/) [James Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-autry/) > [We're so grateful that we're able to provide this opportunity for our current and past graduates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-branch/we-re-so-grateful-that-we-re-able-to-provide-this-opportunity-for-our/) David Branch > [I believe people I represent still aspire to the idea that our job as a generation is to provide more opportunity to the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/i-believe-people-i-represent-still-aspire-to-the-idea-that-our-job-as/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [The past did not provide your only opportunity for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-did-not-provide-your-only-opportunity-for-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work -- work with us, not over us;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-is-not-my-intention-to-do-away-with-government-it-is-rather-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I want the government to provide the military so we don't get invaded by somebody and destroyed. I want the government to provide the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-want-the-government-to-provide-the-military-so-we-don-t-get-invaded/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) ## More by Richard M. Nixon > [I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-office-before-my-term-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/restoring-nature-to-its-natural-state-is-a-cause-beyond-party-and/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in, whether we shape the future in the image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-kind-of-nation-we-will-be-what-kind-of-world-we-will-live-in/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The ultimate test of a nation's character is not how it responds to adversity in war but how it meets the challenge of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ultimate-test-of-a-nation-s-character-is-not-how-it-responds-to/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [History is a pathetic junkyard of broken treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/history-is-a-pathetic-junkyard-of-broken-treaties/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-refuse-to-make-a-decision-that-somebody-else-can-make-the-first/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-and-then-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I made my mistakes, but in all of my years in public life, I have never profited, never profited from public serviceI have earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-made-my-mistakes-but-in-all-of-my-years-in-public-life-i-have-never/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I know you heard what you thought I said, but what I said isn't what I meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-know-you-heard-what-you-thought-i-said-but-what-i-said-isn-t-what-i/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I want to be sure...that nothing is done on these veterans. Is that understood?...Is the word out? That they are not to touch em,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-want-to-be-sure-that-nothing-is-done-on-these-veterans-is-that/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Nations not possessing great power can indulge in the luxury of criticism of others; those possessing it have the responsibility of decision. Faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/nations-not-possessing-great-power-can-indulge-in-the-luxury-of/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The peace we seek in the world is not the flimsy peace which is merely an interlude between wars, but a peace which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-peace-we-seek-in-the-world-is-not-the-flimsy-peace-which-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) [Explore all 388 Richard M. Nixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## More Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Government can provide opportunity. 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