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The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful in the face of bold projects and new ideas. Rather, it will belong to those who can blend passion, reason and courage in a personal commitment to the great enterprises and ideals of American society.

Robert F. Kennedy#69

LeadershipCourageFutureReasonInnovationPassion

About this quote

What does it mean?
Kennedy says the future belongs to those who combine passion, reason, and courage to pursue bold ideas, not to the apathetic.
In plain terms
He claims bold, courageous people will shape the future, not the indifferent.
What can you take from it?
Blend passion, reason, and courage to drive meaningful change.

Where it applies

  • entrepreneurship
  • activism
  • policy reform

Putting it to work

  • launch bold projects
  • use data wisely
  • take calculated risks

Questions to consider

  • What balances passion with practical reasoning?
  • How can fear be overcome in large‑scale projects?

Another view

Bold initiatives can fail without adequate support.

More from Robert F. Kennedy

  1. The free way of life proposes ends, but it does not prescribe means.

    Permalink to quote #68
  2. The future is not a gift: it is an achievement. Every generation helps make its own future. This is the essential challenge of the present.

    Permalink to quote #70
  3. The Democratic Party...presents its case on a strong platform and strong candidates, on a proven record of past accomplishment, on the evidence that it alone h…

    Permalink to quote #67

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