--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If at first you don't succeed, just study…" description: "\"“If at first you don't succeed, just study the life of Abraham Lincoln.”\" — John Wright" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/john-wright-38131_abraham-lincoln_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study_2151776.png" --- # If at first you don't succeed, just study the life of… ![“If at first you don't succeed, just study the life of Abraham Lincoln.” quote by John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/john-wright-38131_abraham-lincoln_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study_2151776.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/john-wright-38131_abraham-lincoln_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study_2151776.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/john-wright-38131_abraham-lincoln_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study_2151776.png) > ““If at first you don't succeed, just study the life of Abraham Lincoln.”” [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning from successful figures can inspire perseverance after failure. **In simple terms:** Study role models. Key Takeaway Seek inspiration. Themes perseverance learning role models Mood inspirational thoughtful Type motivational educational When to use this quote - career setbacks - academic challenges - personal growth Key Concepts historical examples motivation Questions to Reflect On - Whose story resonates most with you? - How can you adapt their strategies to your situation? A Different Perspective Relying on others may overlook personal context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Study life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-life/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [Everybody has a dream. Everybody can succeed. Just take a look at yourself and just believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-has-a-dream-everybody-can-succeed-just-take-a-look-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being a warrior doesn't mean necessarily you need to win and succeed. It's just a spiritual condition of living a worthwhile life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-hutz/being-a-warrior-doesn-t-mean-necessarily-you-need-to-win-and-succeed/) [Eugene Hutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-hutz/) > [The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [There were so many odd, strange things about Abraham Lincoln that I think nobody knew how to pigeonhole him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/there-were-so-many-odd-strange-things-about-abraham-lincoln-that-i/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I suppose I've been interested in Abraham Lincoln for almost as long as I can remember. My first Lincoln book was the Classics Illustrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/i-suppose-i-ve-been-interested-in-abraham-lincoln-for-almost-as-long/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Abraham Lincoln suggested never presume to know what God's will is, and I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/abraham-lincoln-suggested-never-presume-to-know-what-god-s-will-is/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [My favorite thought about Abraham Lincoln is he believed in two things: loving one another and working together to make this world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/my-favorite-thought-about-abraham-lincoln-is-he-believed-in-two/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-we-could-not-survive-as-a-free-land/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I grew up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Harden County, which is not too far from the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cameron/i-grew-up-in-elizabethtown-kentucky-harden-county-which-is-not-too/) [Daniel Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cameron/) > [“Most people,” Abraham Lincoln said, “are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lickona/most-people-abraham-lincoln-said-are-about-as-happy-as-they-make-up/) [Thomas Lickona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lickona/) > [“What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/what-is-to-be-will-be-and-no-prayers-of-ours-can-arrest-the-decree/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [ I don't \[even\] know the number of books on Abraham Lincoln. Ten thousand, twelve thousand? I have seen various numbers. It seems like every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/i-don-t-even-know-the-number-of-books-on-abraham-lincoln-ten-thousand/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) ## More by John Wright > [“Let the trees be consulted before you take any action every time you breathe in thank a tree let tree roots crack parking lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/let-the-trees-be-consulted-before-you-take-any-action-every-time-you/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [Let soldiers on manoeuvres plant trees. Give police and criminals a shovel and a thousand seedlings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/let-soldiers-on-manoeuvres-plant-trees-give-police-and-criminals-a/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [The ball is round, make sure you pass it around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/the-ball-is-round-make-sure-you-pass-it-around/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [“The trick to learning Chinese is to always carry the flashcards into work every time, and also to write Chinese letters to your children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/the-trick-to-learning-chinese-is-to-always-carry-the-flashcards-into/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [Ours is a very eclectic offering. We're affiliated with the church but we're not just offering church music. Our philosophy is that we wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/ours-is-a-very-eclectic-offering-we-re-affiliated-with-the-church-but/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [“When panic sets in, my advice is to fast and read the Book of Mormon for at least a half hour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/when-panic-sets-in-my-advice-is-to-fast-and-read-the-book-of-mormon/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [“Rubus fruticosus agg.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/rubus-fruticosus-agg/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [“I am afraid of some math, science, and engineering problems, but I know I can at least read the chapters through and perhaps the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/i-am-afraid-of-some-math-science-and-engineering-problems-but-i-know/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [I never coached Sachin Tendulkar, I gave him gentle advice when he asked for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/i-never-coached-sachin-tendulkar-i-gave-him-gentle-advice-when-he/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [A grandma is old on the outside and young on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/a-grandma-is-old-on-the-outside-and-young-on-the-inside/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [We have had a good working relationship. He has got a tough job. We had different ideas sometimes and we got on pretty well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/we-have-had-a-good-working-relationship-he-has-got-a-tough-job-we-had/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) [Explore all 12 John Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) ## More Abraham lincoln quotes > [“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [“What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/what-is-to-be-will-be-and-no-prayers-of-ours-can-arrest-the-decree/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“If you attend a meeting of evolutionary biologists somewhere in America, you might be lucky and spot a tall, gray-whiskered, smiling man bearing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-ridley/if-you-attend-a-meeting-of-evolutionary-biologists-somewhere-in/) [Matt Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-ridley/) > [Men like Abraham Lincoln recognized that if the slaveholders were not stopped, it would only be a question of time until they spread their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/men-like-abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-if-the-slaveholders-were-not/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [“Most people,” Abraham Lincoln said, “are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lickona/most-people-abraham-lincoln-said-are-about-as-happy-as-they-make-up/) [Thomas Lickona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lickona/) > [Abraham Lincoln did not contend that his actions were immune from Congressional correction; on the contrary, he specifically said he was acting beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lee-miller/abraham-lincoln-did-not-contend-that-his-actions-were-immune-from/) [William Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lee-miller/) > [I grew up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Harden County, which is not too far from the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cameron/i-grew-up-in-elizabethtown-kentucky-harden-county-which-is-not-too/) [Daniel Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cameron/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [My movies more often are told through pictures, not words. But in this case, the pictures took second position to the incredible words of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/my-movies-more-often-are-told-through-pictures-not-words-but-in-this/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I must have missed school the day we learned about Abraham Lincoln being a vampire slayer...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-must-have-missed-school-the-day-we-learned-about-abraham-lincoln/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-we-could-not-survive-as-a-free-land/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [My favorite thought about Abraham Lincoln is he believed in two things: loving one another and working together to make this world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/my-favorite-thought-about-abraham-lincoln-is-he-believed-in-two/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) Browse all 238 Abraham lincoln quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If at first you don't succeed, just study the life of Abraham Lincoln.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Wright" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study-the-life-of-abraham-lincoln/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abraham lincoln" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study-the-life-of-abraham-lincoln/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/john-wright-38131_abraham-lincoln_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study_2151776.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/john-wright-38131_abraham-lincoln_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study_2151776.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/john-wright-38131_abraham-lincoln_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study_2151776.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If at first you don't succeed, just study the life of Abraham Lincoln.” — John Wright", "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": "John Wright", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If at first you don't succeed,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study-the-life-of-abraham-lincoln/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-just-study-the-life-of-abraham-lincoln/#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 } } ] } ```