Who said “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be…”?

Verified

William Jennings Bryan. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"America's Mission", speech delivered by the leader of the Democratic Party at the Washington Day banquet given by the Virginia Democratic Association at Washington, D.C., (22 February 1899), as published in The Book of Public Speaking (Vol. 2)

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“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
— William Jennings Bryan
Verified"America's Mission", speech delivered by the leader of the Democratic Party at the Washington Day banquet given by the Virginia Democratic Association at Washington, D.C., (22 February 1899), as published in The Book of Public Speaking (Vol. 2) · evidenceDestiny
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "America's Mission", speech delivered by the leader of the Democratic Party at the Washington Day banquet given by the Virginia Democratic Association at Washington, D.C., (22 February 1899), as published in The Book of Public Speaking (Vol. 2).

APA

Bryan, W. J. (n.d.). Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9565-destiny-is-not-a-matter-of-chance-it/

MLA

Bryan, William Jennings. “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9565-destiny-is-not-a-matter-of-chance-it/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Bryan, William Jennings. “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9565-destiny-is-not-a-matter-of-chance-it/.

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More quotes by Bryan

“No one can earn a million dollars honestly.”
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“The humblest citizen of all the land when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of Error.”
Causes
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“Anglo-Saxon civilization has taught the individual to protect his own rights; American civilization will teach him to respect the rights of others.”
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“If that vital spark that we find in a grain of wheat can pass unchanged through countless deaths and resurrections, will the spirit of man be unable to pass from this body to another?”
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All 6 William Jennings Bryan quotes →