--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not bound to win, but I am bound to…" description: "\"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to_636770.png" --- # I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. ![“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to_636770.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to_636770.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to_636770.png) > “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Affirms commitment to integrity over guaranteed success, emphasizing moral steadfastness. **In simple terms:** Being true matters more than winning. Key Takeaway Prioritize honesty over outcomes. Themes integrity principles resilience Mood reflective inspirational Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - political campaigns - business negotiations - personal dilemmas Key Concepts ethical leadership personal values Questions to Reflect On - What does being true look like in your life? - When might compromise be necessary? A Different Perspective True integrity can be costly in competitive contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Bound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bound/) [Bound True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bound-true-1290878/) [Bound Win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bound-win-1290875/) [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Honest and integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-and-integrity/) [Honesty and integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty-and-integrity/) [Honesty integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty-integrity/) [I will win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-will-win/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Just love yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-love-yourself/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-yourself/) [Loving yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-yourself/) [Morals and integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals-and-integrity/) [Play to win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-to-win/) [Self love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-love/) [Self loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-loving/) [Spirit bound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-bound/) [Spiritual integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-integrity/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [Win Bound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-bound-1290877/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true-i-am-not-bound-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true-i-am-not-bound-to-2/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Have the courage to face the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/have-the-courage-to-face-the-truth/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [Do the right thing because it is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/do-the-right-thing-because-it-is-right/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/character-is-doing-the-right-thing-when-nobody-s-looking/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted in important affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/whoever-is-careless-with-the-truth-in-small-matters-cannot-be-trusted/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“All men are mighty, when they known they're bound to win. It's when a man's made small that you can see him for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shae-ford/all-men-are-mighty-when-they-known-they-re-bound-to-win-it-s-when-a/) [Shae Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shae-ford/) > [If you stay in the running-if you have endurance-you are bound to win over those who haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-cunningham/if-you-stay-in-the-running-if-you-have-endurance-you-are-bound-to-win/) [Glenn Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-cunningham/) > [Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn't blow in the wind or change with the weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/integrity-is-not-a-conditional-word-it-doesn-t-blow-in-the-wind-or-3/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/keep-true-never-be-ashamed-of-doing-right/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [There are some things that money just can't buy. Like manners, morals and integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/there-are-some-things-that-money-just-can-t-buy-like-manners-morals/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Decide on what you think is right, and stick to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/decide-on-what-you-think-is-right-and-stick-to-it/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [There are some things that money cant buy¦like manners, morals and integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/there-are-some-things-that-money-cant-buy-like-manners-morals-and/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [There are somethings that money just cannot buy. like manners, morals and integrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-somethings-that-money-just-cannot-buy-like-manners-morals/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't fool all of the people all of the time. But it isn't necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/you-can-t-fool-all-of-the-people-all-of-the-time-but-it-isn-t/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Being true quotes > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Intuitionists think that there are cases in which, say, some identity statement between real numbers is neither true nor false, even though we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-f-heck/intuitionists-think-that-there-are-cases-in-which-say-some-identity/) [Richard F. Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-f-heck/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [Life is all about being true to yourself and what you believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/life-is-all-about-being-true-to-yourself-and-what-you-believe-in/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-unlearning-things-that-were-proved-not/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [You create the happiness and the balance that you have, and your own power. This is one thing that I know to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/you-create-the-happiness-and-the-balance-that-you-have-and-your-own/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [Being true to yourself means living in truth with each person in your life. It means refusing to say or do something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/being-true-to-yourself-means-living-in-truth-with-each-person-in-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is not the responsibility of the enlightened teacher to bring the student to enlightenment. That may be true in the classroom, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-the-enlightened-teacher-to-bring-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,447 Being true quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being true" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to_636770.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to_636770.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to_636770.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am not bound to win,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```