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Lessons In Conquering Failure From Abraham Lincoln
As a young man, Abraham Lincoln wanted nothing more than “to link his name with something that would redound [contribute] to the interest of his fellow man.”
His biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin explains how Lincoln aspired to achieve this ambition in public office.
From 1834 to 1840, he served as a congressman in the Illinois Legislature. There, Lincoln advocated for improvements to the state’s infrastructure.
However, Illinois entered an economic depression during his last three years and stopped work on many new railroads, bridges and roads.
This decline destroyed the state’s credit rating, and land values dropped. Thousands of people lost their homes, and many banks and brokerage houses also closed.
Lincoln’s Dark Moment
Now, in his early thirties, Lincoln faced personal financial struggles. His support of improving infrastructure improvements was blamed for the poor economy in Illinois. He also broke off his romantic relationship to Mary Owens because he felt unable to support her. In 1842, he decided against seeking a fifth term in the legislature.
Instead of achieving the personal and professional success he craved, Lincoln teetered on the verge of personal and professional ruin.
