"To wear your heart on your sleeve isn't a very good plan; you should wear it inside, where it functions best"
About this Quote
The intent is managerial as much as moral. Thatcher is arguing for composure as competence: the public display of vulnerability reads, in her framework, as a kind of political malpractice. The subtext is power-aware: in high office, sentiment is easily exploited by opponents, amplified by press, and mistaken for weakness. Keep it internal and you keep control of the narrative. "Functions best" is tellingly technocratic language, implying that even the most intimate parts of the self should be optimized.
Context matters. Thatcher governed in a Britain marked by economic upheaval, labor conflict, and intense polarization. Her brand depended on projecting steadiness, resolve, and an almost frictionless certainty - "the Iron Lady" persona as both shield and weapon. This quip condenses that posture into something repeatable: a rule for survival in adversarial politics and a broader statement about stoicism as a civic virtue. It's also a gendered maneuver: for a woman leader scrutinized for both hardness and softness, emotional restraint becomes not just style but strategy.
Quote Details
| Topic | Wisdom |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Thatcher, Margaret. (2026, January 17). To wear your heart on your sleeve isn't a very good plan; you should wear it inside, where it functions best. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/to-wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-isnt-a-very-32633/
Chicago Style
Thatcher, Margaret. "To wear your heart on your sleeve isn't a very good plan; you should wear it inside, where it functions best." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/to-wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-isnt-a-very-32633/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"To wear your heart on your sleeve isn't a very good plan; you should wear it inside, where it functions best." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/to-wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-isnt-a-very-32633/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.








