Wisdom from Abe

Abraham_Lincoln_November_1863

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve always had a thing for Honest Abe Lincoln. So today I thought I would celebrate his birthday with his own words. By turns insightful, thought-provoking, and humorous, you just can’t beat a good quote from Abraham Lincoln.

 

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.

The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.

When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.

The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.

Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.

Everybody likes a compliment.

Whatever you are, be a good one.

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.

Have a good day, everyone! And whatever; you are, be a good one.

 

FileYoung_Lincoln_By_Charles_Keck

 

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