I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
It is better then, to save the work while it is begun. You have done the labor; maintain it - keep it. If men choose to serve you, go with them; but as you have made up your organization upon principle, stand by it; for as surely as God reigns over you, and has inspired your mind, and given you a sense of propriety, and continues to give you hope, so surely will you still cling to these ideas, and you will at last come back after your wanderings, merely to do your work over again.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of preserving one's work and standing firm in one's principles.
Abraham Lincoln advises that it is crucial to safeguard the efforts put into any undertaking, as one has already invested labor and must maintain it through challenges. He suggests that adherence to one's principles is vital, even when distractions or temptations arise. Ultimately, he reassures that staying true to one's ideals will lead to a return to meaningful work after periods of deviation or struggle.
Themes
PrincipleWorkLaborCommitmentHope
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about perseverance in the workplace.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
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Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
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How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
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For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
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And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
Abraham LincolnRead
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