A Lifetime of Failures (and Successes)
Increase Your Abe-ility Timeline
-- By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer
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This is just a short history of the disappointments and setbacks Abraham Lincoln was faced with in his life. It’s important to know he bounced back after each of these hurdles to learn something and grow from the experience. It’s equally important to remember there’s an impressive list of success that more than matches up with this one. Click here to read what you can learn from the failures Lincoln persevered through during his entire life.
Age (some are estimated)
| 7 9 20 23 24 26 26 27 28 29 34 37 39 45 47 49 51 54 |
Family is forced out their home and Abe has to go to work. Mother dies. Loses job as a store clerk when business fails. Runs for State Legislature. Finishes 8th of 13 candidates. Gets job as postmaster of his township. Has worst efficiency record in the county. Business partner dies, leaving him huge debt and another failing business. Sweetheart dies of malaria. Suffers a nervous breakdown. Turned down in his first marriage proposal. Runs for Illinois Speaker of the House. Loses. Runs for Congress. Loses. Elected to Congress – on third try. Is not re-elected. Runs for Senate. Loses. Runs for Vice President. Loses. Runs for Senate again. Loses again. Elected President. War starts one month later and ends five days before his death. Delivers Gettysburg Address. Not received well, audience and organizers deeming it a failure. Chicago Times calls it “silly, flat and dishwatery.” |
