Donald Henry Rumsfeld was an American politician who served as Secretary of Defense. He served twice from 1975 to 1977 under Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under George W. Bush. Between his terms as Secretary of Defense, he served as the CEO and chairman of several companies.
Donald Rumsfeld was born on July 9, 1932. Rumsfeld attended Princeton University, graduating in 1954 with a degree in political science. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1962 and was subsequently reelected three times. He has come under a lot of scrutiny for his handling of post 9/11 undertakings and the U.S led attack on Afghanistan. He passed away on June 29, 2021.
1 If in doubt, don’t, If still in doubt, do what’s right. Donald Rumsfeld
Never be afraid to do that which is right. No matter what your mind tells you, never stray away and end up doing something stupid.
2 Be precise, A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small. -Donald Rumsfeld
Never compromise on precision. You need to be precise in everything that you do. Aim for perfection and you shall find excellence.
3 If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. -Donald Rumsfeld
Criticism is proof that what you are doing matters. Never shy away from being criticized. Accept your shortcomings and try to improve upon those.
4 Remember where you came from. -Donald Rumsfeld
Never forget your past. Accept it and be proud of where you are today. Be grateful to everyone and everything that has helped in your journey.
5 Never assume the other fellow will not do something you wouldn’t do.-Donald Rumsfeld
Never underestimate your opponents. Think of them as smarter than you. They probably have ideas that you would never think of. So do not think that they would not do what you would not.
6 The way to do well is to do well. -Donald Rumsfeld
The only way to do something great is to actually do it. Thinking about it is never going to get you anywhere. Actions are what count, not wishes.
7 It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. -Donald Rumsfeld
Old habits die hard. And it’s easier to get into a habit than it is to get out of it. So cultivate habits that will only benefit you.
8 If you try to please everybody, somebody’s not going to like it. -Donald Rumsfeld
You cannot please everyone every time. There will always be someone who will not like it. It’s stupid to think that everyone will like you always.
9 Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges, Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. -Donald Rumsfeld
Do not be afraid of hard struggles. They are important to help you grow and improve. These are the kinds of things that turn people into leaders.
10 Think ahead, Don’t let day-to-day operations drive out planning. -Donald Rumsfeld
Be prude and far sighted. Always have a plan in mind. Only those with a reliable plan can face life and its consequences without feeling lost.
11 Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. -Donald Rumsfeld
Your goals should always be clear and concise. You should never lose sight of it. No amount of obstacles or struggles should scare you from it.
12 Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals. -Donald Rumsfeld
Focus on your goals and nothing else. Work towards them with diligence and persistence. The only thing that matters is that you never give up and only focus on the job at hand.
13 Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war. -Donald Rumsfeld
War is never right nor can it ever be justified. It’s easy to advocate for it from the shelter of your house. To truly understand the gravity of it, one needs to be shown the deaths, violence and destruction that war leaves in its wake.
14 Listening to both sides does not necessarily bring about a correct judgment. -Donald Rumsfeld
Sometimes, listening to both sides is not going to get you anywhere. Sometimes, the issue is deeper than what it looks like. And to come to a judgement, you need to analyse the issue deeply and profoundly.
15 There are known unknowns, That is to say, there are things that we know we don’t know, But there are also unknown unknowns, There are things we don’t know we don’t know. -Donald Rumsfeld
Knowledge is infinite. There will always be many things that we will never really understand. You might not even be aware of what you don’t know.
15 Most Notable Quotes by Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
1. If in doubt, don’t, If still in doubt, do what’s right. Donald Rumsfeld
2. Be precise, A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small. -Donald Rumsfeld
3. If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. -Donald Rumsfeld
4. Remember where you came from. -Donald Rumsfeld
5. Never assume the other fellow will not do something you wouldn’t do.-Donald Rumsfeld
6. The way to do well is to do well. -Donald Rumsfeld
7. It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. -Donald Rumsfeld
8. If you try to please everybody, somebody’s not going to like it. -Donald Rumsfeld
9. Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges, Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. -Donald Rumsfeld
10. Think ahead, Don’t let day-to-day operations drive out planning. -Donald Rumsfeld
11. Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. -Donald Rumsfeld
12. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals. -Donald Rumsfeld
13. Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war. -Donald Rumsfeld
14. Listening to both sides does not necessarily bring about a correct judgment. -Donald Rumsfeld
15. There are known unknowns, That is to say, there are things that we know we don’t know, But there are also unknown unknowns, There are things we don’t know we don’t know. -Donald Rumsfeld