85 Abraham Lincoln quotes on life, education, and freedom

These Abraham Lincoln quotes prove why many people call him one of the most influential leaders in American history.

In the comments below, share which quote is your favorite.

The 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, is one of history’s most outstanding men.

He was best known for his role in the emancipation of slaves and keeping the Union together.

By the end of his presidency, more than 4 million former slaves were no longer legally considered property.

However, his most enduring legacy is the values he left behind.

He believed in patience, hard work, integrity, and education.

Lincoln strove for a democracy that was “of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Although his personal life was filled with struggle, he still managed to embody a man of wisdom and inspiration – especially during a time when the country was about to be divided.

Despite his sudden death, people from all over the world remember him and try to practice his philosophies still to this day.

Born: February 12th, 1809

Assassinated: April 15th,1865

Find inspiration from his many wise words courtesy of these Abraham Lincoln quotes from his most famous speeches and writings.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration.

Our inspirational quote category page has even more inspirational and educational quotes.

Inspirational Abraham Lincoln quotes on success, life, and education

1. “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln

You will also enjoy our article on Dirty Harry quotes.

2. “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” – Abraham Lincoln
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of one day at a time quotes to live by.

3. “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” – Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln quotes about his momma!

4. “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

Quotes by Abraham Lincoln about preparation

5. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” – Abraham Lincoln

6. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” – Abraham Lincoln

Quotes by Abraham Lincoln about responsibility

7. You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” – Abraham Lincoln

8. “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.” – Abraham Lincoln

9. “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” – Abraham Lincoln

Quotes by Abraham Lincoln about life and success

10. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln

11. “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” – Abraham Lincoln

12. “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” – Abraham Lincoln

Quotes by Abraham Lincoln about doing your best

13. “I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.” – Abraham Lincoln

14. “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” – Abraham Lincoln

15. “Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” – Abraham Lincoln

Famous Abraham Lincoln quotes about failure

16. “My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.” – Abraham Lincoln

17. “Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln

18. “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” – Abraham Lincoln

19. “I’m a slow walker, but I never walk back.” – Abraham Lincoln

20. “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” – Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln Quotes about leadership and being a man

21. “I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” – Abraham Lincoln

22. “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” – Abraham Lincoln

23. “I never had a policy; I have just tried to do my very best each and every day.” – Abraham Lincoln

Famous Abraham Lincoln quotes about success

24. “That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.” – Abraham Lincoln

25. “Everybody likes a compliment.” – Abraham Lincoln

26. “Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.” – Abraham Lincoln

27. “The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him.” – Abraham Lincoln

28. “The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.” – Abraham Lincoln

29. “Important principles may, and must, be inflexible.” – Abraham Lincoln

30. “If there is anything that a man can do well, I say let him do it. Give him a chance.” – Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln quotes about pride

31. “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” – Abraham Lincoln

32. “When I am getting ready to reason with a man, I spend one-third of my time thinking about myself and what I am going to say and two-thirds about him and what he is going to say.” – Abraham Lincoln

33. “Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say for one that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem.” – Abraham Lincoln
If you’re enjoying these quotes, read our collection of ambition quotes to set your sights sky high.

34. “I don’t know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.” – Abraham Lincoln

35. “You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.” – Abraham Lincoln

36. “The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” – Abraham Lincoln

37. “All my life I have tried to pluck a thistle and plant a flower wherever the flower would grow in thought and mind.” – Abraham Lincoln

38. “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.” – Abraham Lincoln

39. “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” – Abraham Lincoln

40. “He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” – Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln quotes and sayings to help you be a better person

41. “Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.” – Abraham Lincoln

42. “Surely God would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality.” – Abraham Lincoln

43. “A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have.” – Abraham Lincoln

Make sure to also check out these quotes by famous people about life, love and success.

44. “Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.” – Abraham Lincoln

45. “Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” – Abraham Lincoln

46. “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” – Abraham Lincoln

47. “Man is not the only animal who labors; but he is the only one who improves his workmanship.” – Abraham Lincoln

48. “I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find one who cannot.” – Abraham Lincoln

49. “Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.” – Abraham Lincoln

50. “In this sad world of ours sorrow comes to all and it often comes with bitter agony. Perfect relief is not possible except with time. You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better. But this is not true. You are sure to be happy again. Knowing this, truly believing it will make you less miserable now. I have had enough experience to make this statement.” – Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln quotes on education and wisdom

51. “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” – Abraham Lincoln

52. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

53. “Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.” – Abraham Lincoln

54. “A new book is like a friend that I have yet to meet.” – Abraham Lincoln

55. “Mr. Clay’s education, to the end of his life, was comparatively limited. I say “to the end of his life,” because I have understood that, from time to time, he added something to his education during the greater part of his whole life. Mr. Clay’s lack of a more perfect early education, however, it may be regretted generally, teaches at least one profitable lesson; it teaches that in this country, one can scarcely be so poor, but that, if he will, he can acquire sufficient education to get through the world respectably.” – Abraham Lincoln
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of education quotes about learning and success.

56. “A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones.” – Abraham Lincoln

Memorable Abraham Lincoln quotes

57. “No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.” ― Abraham Lincoln

58. “Women are the only people I am afraid of who I never thought would hurt me.” ― Abraham Lincoln

59. “It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.” – Abraham Lincoln

60. “No man is good enough to govern another man without the other’s consent.” – Abraham Lincoln

61. “Every person’s happiness is their own responsibility.” – Abraham Lincoln

62. “You can tell the greatness of someone by what makes them angry.” – Abraham Lincoln

63. “Life is hard but so very beautiful.” – Abraham Lincoln

64. “If you would win a man to your cause first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” – Abraham Lincoln

65. “To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.” – Abraham Lincoln

Insightful Abraham Lincoln quotes 

66. “Nothing will divert me from my purpose.”― Abraham Lincoln

67. “Gentlemen, why do you not laugh? With the fearful strain that is upon me day and night, if I did not laugh, I should die. ”― Abraham Lincoln

68. “If any man tells you he loves America, yet hates labor, he is a liar. If any man tells you he trusts America, yet fears labor, he is a fool.”― Abraham Lincoln

69. “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.”― Abraham Lincoln

70. “Don’t worry when you are not recognized but strive to be worthy of recognition.”― Abraham Lincoln

71. “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
― Abraham Lincoln

72. “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”― Abraham Lincoln

73. “I believe that people should fight for what they believe and only what they believe.”― Abraham Lincoln

74. “Education does not mean teaching people what they do not know. It means teaching them to behave as they do not behave.”― Abraham Lincoln

75. “Believing everyone is dangerous, but believing nobody is more dangerous.”― Abraham Lincoln

You might also like these Dwight D. Eisenhower quotes on life, politics and progress.

More Abraham Lincoln quotes and sayings

76. “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” – Abraham Lincoln

77. “I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.” – Abraham Lincoln

78. “Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren’t very new after all.” – Abraham Lincoln

79. “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.” – Abraham Lincoln

80. “Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.” – Abraham Lincoln

81. “There are no bad pictures; that’s just how your face looks sometimes.” – Abraham Lincoln

82. “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how a man could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.” – Abraham Lincoln

83. “Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.” – Abraham Lincoln

84. “I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.” – Abraham Lincoln

85. “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” – Abraham Lincoln

Which of these Abraham Lincoln quotes was your favorite?

For those unfamiliar with his life story, it might be difficult to believe at first that there were times when Abraham Lincoln almost gave up.

But it’s true.

He had a tough childhood, and also faced sorrow later in his adult life when three of his four children died.

Still, despite all the hardship he faced, he let time heal his wounds and proceeded to be successful in his life that was cut short far too soon.

Hopefully, these Abraham Lincoln quotes not only gave you hope, but motivation to move forward with life – just as this historic United States president has done.

Which Abraham Lincoln quote was your favorite?

What other Abraham Lincoln quotes would you add to the list?

Let us know in the comment section below.