111 Quotes by Dan Crenshaw

This is the simple reality: Others have had it harder than me. Many, many others. From that darkness comes realism. From that realism comes gratitude. From gratitude comes perspective. A healthy sense of perspective is an antidote to outrage. It is an antidote to self-pity, despair, and weakness.

A good rule of thumb is this: If you aren’t making someone laugh with your complaints, then you might be doing it wrong. Lighthearted humor wrapped up in your menial grumbling should be the goal.

Acceptance for what you truly can’t control, but responsibility for what you can control. The Stoic does not believe in categorizing so many things as ‘outside your control’ that you simply become a victim of circumstance. Far more is within your control than you might think.

A still person has the ability to stop, look at a news story or another person’s arguments, and ask objective questions without emotional overreaction or assumptions of ill intent. One is centered, rational, and respected; the other is frantic, unhappy, and intellectually stagnant. Don’t be the latter.

A shallow reading of a problem begets outrage; a detailed approach to a problem encourages moderation.

While our own citizens burn our flag or sneer at our pledge of allegiance, millions of people around the world would do anything to be here. America is a place of opportunity for individuals willing to seize it, and that fact is still well known around the world, even if our own population is increasingly ignorant of it. Our country consistently ranks as the number one destination for all immigrants, when asked where they would go if given a choice. Germany, at second place, isn’t even close.

We are a nation, unique in world history, that is built upon purpose rather than geography or ethnicity. America exists because of a proposition about the nature of humankind—that our nature is not to be forcefully molded by government, but instead that government exists to protect our inalienable rights. In exchange, weexpect our citizens to live dutifully, morally, and responsibly. That purpose has informed us and our national destiny at key moments throughout our existence.

When failure comes, there are a series of questions we have to ask ourselves: ‘Which actions of mine caused this? What could I have done differently? What will I do when and if it happens again?’ Note something important about these three questions: They’re all inwardly focused. They’re all about personal responsibility. They all accept and face circumstances.

As John Adams said, ‘Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.