Lincoln's Quest for Success Abraham Lincoln's life was full of tragedy and loss. He experienced many phases of depression due to numerous tragedies. However, that didn't stop him from being one of the most successful men to ever live. In the end, he always seemed to find a way to look past these terrible things. He never gave up what he loved to do and that's why he became one of the greatest presidents ever. Abraham Lincoln overcame the loss by working hard, finding hope, and paying off his debts. Abraham wouldn't have gotten anywhere without working hard from day one. Lincoln's family didn't have much money and he was needed at the cabin for work. This did not stop him from learning new things because he knew that education was the key to having a successful life. He was forced to educate himself. Lincoln actually only had about a year of formal education in his life in school (McGovern 2). To educate himself, he absorbed what he read and applied it to things in his life. He read books constantly because he knew that if he wanted to get anywhere he would have to be well educated (Mcgovern 2). His determination to learn never stopped, even though he had no one to teach him. He didn't need much education in school because his work ethic was so high. This shows that even though he didn't study in school, he still worked hard by reading books to improve himself every day. It may seem difficult, but Lincoln was always ready for a challenge to overcome. Reading books to educate himself was better for him because he could learn things from books more easily. This is why some say he was one of the smartest presidents ever. Although Lincoln became a great president, he was a low... middle of paper... he is known by many as the best president to ever live, but many really don't know what he had to conquer to get to that point. His life was full of obstacles that very few could overcome. However, Lincoln always made overcoming these obstacles seem easy. Due to his good character and will to succeed, he was loved and supported by many. He was a loyal man who never gave up on anything he started. This is why he is and will forever be known as “Honest Abe.Works Cited” American President: Abraham Lincoln. Miller Center. Np, nd Web. March 31, 2014 Holzer, Harold. "Lincoln, Abraham." Advanced World Book. World Book, 2014. Web. April 3, 2014Kostyal, The Extraordinary Era of KM Abraham Lincoln: The Man and His Times. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2009. Print.McGovern, George S. Abraham Lincoln. New York: Times/Henry Holt, 2009. Print.