“When you substitute patronage for [instead of] patriotism, administration breaks down. We need more of the Office Desk and less of the Show Window in politics. Let men in office substitute the midnight oil for [instead of] the limelight” – Address at the home of Augustus P. Gardner, Hamilton, Massachusetts, September 1916.
The most inspiring quote I’ve ever seen attributed to Coolidge was essentially about work ethic: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
Now that’s a wise man.