Lose The Battle Win The War

One of my role models all of my life has been Abe Lincoln. He was not afraid to
fail. I am sure my students get tired of me telling them to not be afraid to fail, but if
you do not try you can not succeed.

He failed in business in 1831.

He was defeated for Legislature in 1832.

His second failure in business was in 1833.

He suffered a nervous breakdown in 1836.

He was defeated for Speaker in 1838.

He was defeated for Elector in 1840.

He was defeated for Congress in 1843.

Again, he was defeated for Congress in 1848.

He was defeated for Senate in 1855.

He was defeated for Vice President in 1856.

He was defeated for Senate in 1858.

He was elected as President in 1860.

SOURCE: The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln: Six Months at the White House by Francis B. Carpenter (Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1995), pp. 258-259.