Naked Leader Week – 168 (w/c Monday 7 August 2006)

The Leadership of Abraham Lincoln, from two different perspectives

 If you are about to give up on your dream, read my favourite story of persistence, belief, and self-determination. That of Abraham Lincoln. The same story told from two different perspectives – the left-brain list or the right brain story. As always, your choice…

Lincoln‘s Incredible Journey to Become The Sixteenth President of The USA!  (1):

 

Event

He had to work to support his family after they were forced out of their home.  1816

His mother died.  1818

Failed in business. 1831

Defeated for State Legislature.  1832

Lost his job and couldn’t get into law school.  1832

Declared bankrupt and spent the next 17 years of his life paying off the money he borrowed from friends to start his business.  1833

Defeated for State Legislature again.  1834

Engaged to be married, but his sweetheart died and his heart was broken.  1835

Had a nervous breakdown, spent next 6 months in bed.  1836

Defeated for speaker of the State Legislature.  1838

Defeated in becoming elector.  1840

Defeated for Congress  1843

Defeated for Congress.  1846

Defeated for Congress.  1848

Rejected for job of Land Officer in his home state.  1849

Defeated for Senate.  1854

Defeated for Vice-President – got less than 100 votes.  1856

Defeated for Senate for the third time.  1858

Was elected President of the United States, and saved the Union.  1860

 

Lincoln‘s Incredible Journey to Become The Sixteenth President of The USA!  (2)

And so it was that in 1832 young Abraham Lincoln lost his job. And the Discouragement Fraternity sneered and said unto him: “If you’re so smart, why ain’t you successful?”. And Abe, intimidated, hung his head low and crawled back under yon rock from whence he came.

 And so it was that, later in that same year, Abe ran for the Legislature of Illinois and was badly defeated. And the Discouragement Fraternity sneered and said unto him: “If you’re so smart, why ain’t you successful?”.

 And Abe, intimidated, hung his head low and crawled back under yon rock from whence he came.

 And so it was that this pattern continued. He tried his hand at business in 1833 and went broke; he ran for Speaker in 1838 and lost; hewas overwhelmingly defeated in a bid for nomination to Congress in 1843; he was rejected for appointment to the U.S.Land Office in 1849; he was soundly beaten for a U.S.Senate seat in 1854; he was defeated for nomination for Vice-President in 1856.

 And after each failure, the Discouragement Fraternity, always more than happy to be of help, sneered and said unto him: “If you’re so smart, why ain’t you successful?”. And each time, Abe, intimidated, hung his head low and crawled back under yon rock from whence he came.

 Then, in 1858, after once again being defeated for the U.S. Senate, and after once again enduring the Discouragement Fraternity sneering and saying unto him: “If you’re so smart, why ain’t you successful?” a funny thing happened on the way back to yon rock from whence he came:

 Abe thought for a moment, scratched his head, then finally came to the conclusion that intimidators must have more fun than intimidatees. Thus concluding, he looked up at the Discouragement Fraternity and replied: “Stick thy finger up thy nose, and go fly thee a kite”.

 …and lo and behold, Abe, the ex-intimidatee, became President…and saved the Union.

And the members of the Discouragement Fraternity, fingers in noses and kites in hand, said unto Abe: “Bravo! We always knew you would be successful.”

 …Whereupon Abe displayed a gentle smile and walked quietly away.

Second version from ‘Winning Through Intimidation’

By Robert J. Ringer

Please forward this to anyone whose life you touch

David

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