Today we celebrate President's Day!
The national holiday, still recognized by the federal government as, "Washington's Birthday" is seen as an opportunity to recognize & celebrate all our United States Presidents.
Rather than President Washington, today I want to draw your attention to the other birthday boy - President Abraham Lincoln. Both men have a very strong standing in American history. Easily recognized by all, from young children to adults, these men shaped the fate of our nation at critical points in history. We are all eager to share the facts we learned about them in school, spouting off their accomplishments. But what speaks to President Lincoln's strength of character, alongside his noteworthy accomplishments, are his failures.
Abraham Lincoln1832 - Lost job
1832 - Defeated for legislature
1833 - Failed in business
1834 - Elected to legislature
1835 - Sweetheart (Ann Rutledge) died
1836 - Had nervous breakdown
1838 - Defeated for Speaker
1843 - Defeated for nomination for Congress
1846 - Elected to Congress
1848 - Lost renomination
1849 - Rejected for Land Officer
1854 - Defeated for Senate
1856 - Defeated for nomination for Vice-President
1858 - Defeated for Senate (again)
1860 - Elected President
Reading that list of struggles and hardships is enough to make anyone see that Abraham Lincoln had anything but an easy road to the Presidency. Take the struggles listed here and use them as a tool to see the power of persistence. In anything you do, there is no guarantee that you will not fail. You are the determining factor of whether you will get up and carry on, or be defeated. Hard work and determination pay off, if you keep your goals at the center of your actions.
Let President Abraham Lincoln's struggles, and ultimate success, remind you of the untapped strength and skills you hold and what can be accomplished when they are shared with the world.
Happy President's Day!