--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe it is universally understood…" description: "\"I believe it is universally understood and acknowledged that all men will ever act correctly, unless they have a motive to do otherwise.\" — Abraham Lin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/abraham-lincoln-88_believe_i-believe-it-is-universally-understood-a_620054.png" --- # I believe it is universally understood and acknowledged… ![“I believe it is universally understood and acknowledged that all men will ever act correctly, unless they have a motive to do otherwise.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/abraham-lincoln-88_believe_i-believe-it-is-universally-understood-a_620054.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/abraham-lincoln-88_believe_i-believe-it-is-universally-understood-a_620054.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/abraham-lincoln-88_believe_i-believe-it-is-universally-understood-a_620054.png) > “I believe it is universally understood and acknowledged that all men will ever act correctly, unless they have a motive to do otherwise.” [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. People generally act correctly unless a personal motive drives them otherwise; integrity is the default, but self-interest can corrupt. **In simple terms:** People act right unless selfish motives intervene. Key Takeaway Guard against hidden motives. Themes integrity motivation ethics Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - business decisions - political leadership - personal relationships Key Concepts philosophy psychology leadership Questions to Reflect On - What motives might be influencing your actions? - How can you ensure decisions remain ethical? A Different Perspective Motives are often subconscious and hard to detect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Correctly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-correctly-4439390/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Universally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-universally-5018585/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Universally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universally/) [Universally Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universally-understood-357228/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/of-all-of-our-inventions-for-mass-communication-pictures-still-speak/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [The art of writing is to explain the complications of the human soul with the simplicity that can be universally understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-art-of-writing-is-to-explain-the-complications-of-the-human-soul/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being a good person you should know how to avoid hurting people, act correctly and help people who needs your help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-alapan/being-a-good-person-you-should-know-how-to-avoid-hurting-people-act/) [Mitch Alapan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-alapan/) > [“Life is a movie, you are the hero, god is the director, your parents are the producers. 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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 Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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