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
When I am 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 about him and what he is going to say.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Effective communication involves understanding both yourself and the other person's perspective.
This quote by Abraham Lincoln emphasizes the importance of empathy in conversations. It highlights that successful reasoning or argumentation requires not only preparation on one's own views but significantly more consideration of the other individual's thoughts and responses, suggesting that true understanding and productive dialogue stem from prioritizing the perspective of others.
Themes
CommunicationEmpathyUnderstandingDialogueReasoning
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a workshop on effective communication.
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.
Abraham LincolnRead
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Abraham LincolnRead
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.
Abraham LincolnRead
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.
Abraham LincolnRead
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
Similar quotes
I used to work very long hours. Then I started to realize that the stuff that I was writing in the late afternoons, I was generally throwing out. So I quit earlier than I used to.
Robert CaroRead
You cannot get all the facts from just one newspaper, and unless you have the facts, you cannot make proper judgments about what is going on.
Harry S. TrumanRead
It is foolish to tear one's hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
May I never be complete. May I never be content. May I never be perfect.
Chuck PalahniukRead
You're neither right nor wrong because other people agree with you. You're right because your facts are right and your reasoning is right - that's the only thing that makes you right. And if your facts and reasoning are right, you don't have to worry about anybody else.
Warren BuffettRead
The liabilities are always 100 percent good. It's the assets you have to worry about.
Charlie MungerRead