Abraham lincoln how many times failed

Like nearly all farm children of his era, Lincoln was expected to perform whatever chores and tasks he was physically capable of handling around the farm. This, at least, is no embellishment.

None of this is true. Offutt planned to open a general store, and he promised to make Lincoln its manager when Abraham returned from New Orleans. However, this same year Lincoln also achieved something of which he was very proud, when the members of a volunteer militia company he had joined selected him as their captain.

Lincoln did eventually become a lawyer, and he accomplished the feat in the manner typical of his time and place: not by attending law school, but by reading law books and observing court sessions.

He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt. Lincoln and William F. The debt on the store became due the following year, and since Lincoln was unable to pay off his note, his possessions were seized by the sheriff. It did take him several years, but not seventeen; nor, as this statement implies, was he completely financially encumbered until it was paid in full. In Lincoln was again one of thirteen candidates running for a seat in the state legislature, and this time he won, securing the second-highest vote total among the field.

Whatever the exact nature of their relationship, however, her death in the summer of appears to have affected Lincoln profoundly.

He surveyed the nearby town of Petersburg in February , undertook a strenuous two-month campaign for re-election during the summer, and served in the state legislature throughout the year. By the time of the legislative session, Lincoln had twice been an unsuccessful Whig candidate for the position of speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives.

This was a relatively minor political setback, however, and no mention is made here of the fact that by he was one of the most experienced members of the legislature, or of any of the other notable successes he achieved between and , namely:. This statement is erroneous. Lincoln was named as a presidential elector at the Illinois state Whig convention on 8 October , and he campaigned as a Whig elector during the , , , and presidential elections skipping the campaign because he was serving in Congress.

He did not run for re-election because Whig policy at the time specified that party members should step aside after serving one term to allow other members to take their turns at holding office. Lincoln's origin story, as described in Goodwin's book Leadership, offers a fascinating perspective on how entrepreneurs can recover from professional and personal failures.

Lincoln argued the key to his later successes was "work, work, work. It's true Lincoln put in more hours than his peers, but he also embraced what business coach Stephen Covey calls "sharpening the sword. This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here. More From Forbes. Nov 8, , pm EST. Sep 28, , am EDT. Aug 30, , am EDT. Aug 18, , pm EDT. Aug 2, , am EDT.

Jul 26, , pm EDT. Jul 13, , am EDT. Jun 13, , am EDT. The failures deepened his resolve. In , Lincoln married Mary Todd. Together, they had four sons: Robert, Edward, Willie, and Tad. The era was not kind to children. Edward died when he was 3 and Willie died at age In , Lincoln was elected president by less than 40 percent of the popular vote. He gave his inaugural address knowing that Army sharpshooters were guarding him from any Confederate sympathizers. He was heavily criticized by both Democrats and Republicans — his own party —while in office and was despised by half the nation.

Still, he worked tirelessly to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the U. Constitution, which formally outlawed slavery throughout the nation. To this day, Lincoln is considered by scholars, historians, and the general public to be one of the greatest presidents in American history.

With the exception of Jesus Christ, no historical figure has been written about as much as Lincoln. He is the subject of more than 18, books and counting. The Lincoln Memorial and Mount Rushmore pay tribute to him. He epitomizes the American dream: He came from nothing to eventually becoming the president of the United States.