--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shall do less whenever I shall believe…" description: "\"I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-shall-do-less-whenever-i-shall-believe_913313.png" --- # I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing… ![“I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-shall-do-less-whenever-i-shall-believe_913313.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-shall-do-less-whenever-i-shall-believe_913313.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/abraham-lincoln-88_being-true_i-shall-do-less-whenever-i-shall-believe_913313.png) > “I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.” [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. Advocates adjusting actions based on their impact on a cause, correcting mistakes, and adopting true ideas quickly. **In simple terms:** Change actions to help the cause, fix errors, and accept true ideas. Key Takeaway Act responsibly and stay adaptable. Themes integrity adaptability principles Mood thoughtful determined Type ethical political When to use this quote - political leadership - activism - organizational change - personal decision making Key Concepts ethical reasoning critical thinking open-mindedness Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance swift adoption of new ideas with thorough verification? A Different Perspective May cause personal bias hinder objective assessment of what helps the cause? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-doing/) [Belive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belive/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Cause Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-shall-1355881/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Errors Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors-shall-1355880/) [Help Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-cause-1355882/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Shall Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-believe-628082/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors, and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-shall-try-to-correct-errors-when-shown-to-be-errors-and-i-shall/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I use my fame now when I want to help a cause or other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/i-use-my-fame-now-when-i-want-to-help-a-cause-or-other-people/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [Were I to solve problems for others they would remain stagnant; they would never grow. It would be a great injustice to them. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/were-i-to-solve-problems-for-others-they-would-remain-stagnant-they/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [If their were more Franklin operations it could help the cause much more than right wing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-metzger/if-their-were-more-franklin-operations-it-could-help-the-cause-much/) [Tom Metzger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-metzger/) > [When I get home, I'm not very happy. Especially when I didn't do something to help the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-roenick/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-very-happy-especially-when-i-didn-t-do/) [Jeremy Roenick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-roenick/) > [So tell me what would you like me to do, to help you, help me help you. Cause I don't really want to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-tell-me-what-would-you-like-me-to-do-to-help-you-help-me-help-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Help me cause you see me everyday as I walk in front of you begging for your help. Help me cause I'm crying every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/help-me-cause-you-see-me-everyday-as-i-walk-in-front-of-you-begging/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I belive that people should fight for what they believe and only what they believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-belive-that-people-should-fight-for-what-they-believe-and-only-what/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [When you're in my house you shall do as I do and believe who I believe in. So Bart butter your bacon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/when-you-re-in-my-house-you-shall-do-as-i-do-and-believe-who-i/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“That the earth in its course stood still; that a she-ass spoke; that a storm was quieted by a word, we do not believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-von-harnack/that-the-earth-in-its-course-stood-still-that-a-she-ass-spoke-that-a/) [Adolf von Harnack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-von-harnack/) > [I shall have to believe even though I cannot understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/i-shall-have-to-believe-even-though-i-cannot-understand/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [“The sages of the world have only the right to tell us that they have analysed their minds and have found these facts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-sages-of-the-world-have-only-the-right-to-tell-us-that-they-have/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [My first act of free will shall be to believe in free will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/my-first-act-of-free-will-shall-be-to-believe-in-free-will/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Put your heart in He then put your heart in me. Together, forever, we shall believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/put-your-heart-in-he-then-put-your-heart-in-me-together-forever-we/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [“Mind what you do; if you deceive me once I shall never believe you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/mind-what-you-do-if-you-deceive-me-once-i-shall-never-believe-you/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## 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 shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. 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