Name: Lessons from past presidents
Uploaded: 2008-10-07T01:00:00Z
Duration: 18 min 28 s
Description: Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin talks about what we can learn from American presidents, including Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson. Then she shares a moving memory of her own father, and of their shared love of baseball.

Doris Kearns Goodwin: Lessons from past presidents

Lessons from past presidents

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin talks about what we can learn from American presidents, including Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson. Then she shares a moving memory of her own father, and of their shared love of baseball.

A meaningful life requires nurturing work, love, and play in equal measure. Abraham Lincoln’s legacy grew from fierce ambition paired with deep empathy, while Lyndon Johnson's post-presidency sadness revealed the emptiness of neglecting personal connections and recreation. Even the greatest achievements can feel hollow without joy and relationships to sustain the spirit. Finding pleasure in small rituals, like sharing baseball with loved ones, can link generations and provide enduring comfort.