Tammy Duckworth Quotes

“I don't ever want to be sad about my life.”

“When I first ran, being a woman in politics was seen as both a negative and also a positive. You could attract more women voters, but on the other hand, a lot of men wouldn't vote for you.”

“We have found a direct correlation between grit and positive emotions, but the fact that I have no evidence that grit is bad for you doesn't mean it's not. It's always a possibility that in the future researchers will discover a downside to grit.”

“I actually lost both my legs. I can walk because I got really good health care.”

“I have personally seen what a devastating medical condition can cost.”

“Had I been injured on the freeway and not in combat, it is likely that I would be bankrupt even though I had medical insurance through my civilian employer.”

“We owe it to all our veterans to make sure they have a chance to achieve the American Dream, just like the rest of us.”

“Negative feelings are typical of learning, and you shouldn't feel like you're stupid when you're frustrated doing something. You might say to yourself, 'I can't do this,' but you should say, 'That's great.' That means you really have the potential to learn something there.”

“Many things matter other than our measured intelligence, so let's get to work on them.”

“I think the very idea of character, of developing not just grit, but empathy and curiosity, emotional intelligence - you know, the things that I want my own daughters to develop - the idea that we're going to get there through rewards and punishments seems completely at odds with the idea of character itself.”