Abraham lincoln Quote by Patience Johnson
““There’s an interesting story about Abraham Lincoln. During the American Civil War he signed an order transferring certain regiments, but Secretary of War Edwin Stanton refused to execute it, calling the president a fool. When Lincoln heard he replied, ‘If Stanton said I’m a fool then I must be, for he’s nearly always right, and he says what he thinks. I’ll step over and see for myself.’ He did, and when Stanton convinced him the order was in error, Lincoln quietly withdrew it. Part of Lincoln’s greatness lay in his ability to rise above pettiness, ego, and sensitivity to other people’s opinions. He wasn’t easily offended. He welcomed criticism, and in doing so demonstrated one of the strengths of a truly great person: humility. So, have you been criticised? Make it a time to learn, not lose.””
About This Quote
Source Historical anecdote: Abraham Lincoln, American Civil War, 1860s
Lincoln showed humility by treating criticism as a chance to learn rather than a personal attack.
In simple terms: Humility turns criticism into growth.
Key Takeaway
Embrace feedback, stay open-minded.
Themes
humility
leadership
criticism
learning
ego
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political decision making
- personal development
- conflict resolution
- team management
Key Concepts
psychology
historical example
personal growth
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate useful criticism from noise?
- What steps help you stay humble under pressure?
A Different Perspective
Criticism can be malicious; not all feedback is constructive.
![“My movies more often are told through pictures, not words. But in this case, the pictures took second position to the incredible words of Abraham Lincoln and his presence [...] I was less interested in an outpouring of imagery than in letting the most human moment of this story evolve before us.” quote by Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be7/steven-spielberg-963_abraham_my-movies-more-often-are-told-through-pi_136993.jpg)