Lyndon B. Johnson

Remember that power is only justified when it is used to serve the public good.

Work hard, stay persistent, and do not let setbacks stop you; politics and life reward stamina.

Stay focused on the practical needs of families and communities, not ideological purity.

Believe in education, health, and economic opportunity as foundations of a fair society.

Understand that leadership is about responsibility; when history gives you a chance to act, you must seize it.

Use every tool available—personal urgency, moral argument, compromise, and pressure—to move people toward necessary change.

Negotiate from strength, but keep your eye on the final outcome rather than personal pride.

Know the details better than anyone else; preparation and command of facts are essential to winning and governing.

Take on big problems directly; incremental caution should not block historic progress when the moment demands it.

Believe government can and should be a force for good when it is used boldly, intelligently, and with purpose.

Respect the dignity of all people, especially those with less power, and make public policy serve them first.

Build coalitions, count votes, and do the hard work of persuasion; effective leadership requires mastery of politics as it is.

Do not waste time on abstract talk when action can improve lives; measure leadership by what gets done.

Treat civil rights as a moral obligation, not a political convenience; work to make equality real in law and in daily life.

Use power relentlessly to get concrete results for ordinary people, especially when those results expand opportunity and reduce injustice.