Review: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Category: Sayings
Author: Bill Widener, through Theodore Roosevelt
Rating: 95%
The phrase ‘Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are’, or its variant ‘do what you can, with what you have, where you are’, are quotations often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States of America. The words do appear in Roosevelt’s autobiography, in chapter IX, page 336, but the president attributes them to a squire Bill Widener, of Virginia. There is no metaphorical undertow to the phrase, it is entirely literal.
This is one of the best maxims ever, especially when compared with other quotations attributed to Roosevelt, such as ‘A perfectly stupid race can never rise to a very high plane; the negro, for instance’. This time, however, he’s really nailed it: the phrase never stops being good advice.
It would have been nice if Roosevelt hadn’t stolen the idea from someone else, but if Bill Widener was too selfish to write this great thought down, fine. He doesn’t deserve the credit for it. It’s not very punchy, but it’s more a mantra than a quotable quote, so you’ve got to forgive it really. There’s no imagery or subtext- no bullshit, because Teddy tells it like it is (except for the negro thing, that was a bit of a misfire).
I guess the downside is that if you followed this tenet the whole time, you’d never move. Some sort of motive needs to be inserted- ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are, or go somewhere else’ might be better. Or maybe something figuratively motive: 'do what you can, with what you have, where you are, if you want'.
I give up, the phrase is impossible to improve; I have nothing else to say. Carry this sage advice with you always. If you want.
Category: Sayings
Author: Bill Widener, through Theodore Roosevelt
Rating: 95%
The phrase ‘Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are’, or its variant ‘do what you can, with what you have, where you are’, are quotations often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States of America. The words do appear in Roosevelt’s autobiography, in chapter IX, page 336, but the president attributes them to a squire Bill Widener, of Virginia. There is no metaphorical undertow to the phrase, it is entirely literal.
This is one of the best maxims ever, especially when compared with other quotations attributed to Roosevelt, such as ‘A perfectly stupid race can never rise to a very high plane; the negro, for instance’. This time, however, he’s really nailed it: the phrase never stops being good advice.
It would have been nice if Roosevelt hadn’t stolen the idea from someone else, but if Bill Widener was too selfish to write this great thought down, fine. He doesn’t deserve the credit for it. It’s not very punchy, but it’s more a mantra than a quotable quote, so you’ve got to forgive it really. There’s no imagery or subtext- no bullshit, because Teddy tells it like it is (except for the negro thing, that was a bit of a misfire).
I guess the downside is that if you followed this tenet the whole time, you’d never move. Some sort of motive needs to be inserted- ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are, or go somewhere else’ might be better. Or maybe something figuratively motive: 'do what you can, with what you have, where you are, if you want'.
I give up, the phrase is impossible to improve; I have nothing else to say. Carry this sage advice with you always. If you want.
