Lincoln On Handling Criticism
Story★★★★Out of long and painful experience Abraham Lin- coln wrote five sentences which all of us, particularly those who are in public life, would do well to study. “If I tried to read, much less answer, all the criticisms made of me and all the attacks leveled against me, this office would have to be closed for all other business. I do the best I know how, the very best I can. I mean to keep on doing this, down to the very end. If the end brings me out all wrong, then ten angels swearing I had been right would make no difference. If the end brings me out all right, then what is said against me now will not amount to anything.’’
The point
Lincoln reflects on how criticism is inevitable when leading and shouldn't distract from doing one's best work; the results will ultimately justify or condemn the effort, not current detractors.