Our sixteenth president is known for many great quotes and lead our country through one of the most challenging and difficult times in our history.

Recently, I read a quote that has had me thinking about it for the last several weeks.

Abraham Lincoln said: “I don’t know that man, I must get to know him better.”

Several weeks later this quote still has me thinking about it.  Why?

In our current culture I think there are a few things that have gone to the wayside.  I am just as guilty of it as anyone else.

First off, we think we know someone based of their social media profiles.  We see that they post memes we disagree with.  Or they post things that are political and if we disagree with them, we assume that the person must be this or that, without us really knowing who they are.

Think about it for a minute.  I have yet to unfollow, defriend, etc. anyone that I disagree with that I actually know. Why would I?  I know who and what they are.  We may disagree with each other, but I know that they are still a good hang, or share other interests that I throughly enjoy about them.

Unfortunately, if we just assume we know someone based on their social media posts or likes, we really don’t know that person.

Now, I know we aren’t going to actively seek out every person we are connected with and spend time with them.  However, if we take the approach Lincoln says.  We can give that person the benefit of the doubt that they have some qualities and beliefs that you would agree with.

I can think of many times I have made a blanket decision about someone or something because of what someone else said, something I assumed, or some other kind of signals I used to predetermine my opinion. As much as I hope to prevent myself from doing this, I still do it.

In this day and age, I think we could all learn from our sixteenth president Lincoln, and seek to understand people, especially the ones we think we dislike. Lincoln spent his entire life fighting and pushing his agenda.  Through all of his experience doing that, it prepared him for the biggest challenge our country,  and young country at that point, had ever faced, and most likely will ever face.  Because of his lessons and demeanor, his style allowed us to get through it and become a better country in the process.

Lincoln used the approach of getting to know people better, especially the ones he disliked, to navigate through one of the greatest feats in the history of our nation.

How can you use this approach?  It is a way of life.  It is decision.

To your success and your future.