Political consensus is hard to come by these days — which is a big reason why it’s a bad idea to talk about politics at work. But there’s one point on which historians, at least, seem to agree: Abraham Lincoln was one of the best presidents in U.S. history.
Harold Holzer, director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, tells The History Channel that in his estimation, Abraham Lincoln edges out even George Washington as the best American president.
“Saving the Union, which would have ended the American experience, and eradicating the sinful hypocrisy of slavery gives him the edge for me,” Holzer says, adding that Lincoln also embodied the American Dream: “He was not part of the American elite. He wasn’t a military hero. He rose from obscurity to prove that anyone could make it in America.”
Lincoln’s grit and wisdom can guide you in your career, as well as inspire you in your daily life.
10 Abraham Lincoln Quotes to Inspire You at Work
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
“No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”
“If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.”
“Perhaps a man’s character is like a tree, and his reputation like its shadow; the shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”
“I am not concerned that you have fallen; I am concerned that you arise.”
“When I’m getting ready to reason with a man I spend one third of my time thinking about myself and what I am going to say — and two thirds thinking about him and what he is going to say.”
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”
“Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.”
“I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”
Sources: University of Michigan, Reader’s Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, NPR, BrainyQuote, Goodreads
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