Who said “The way for a young man to rise, is to improve himself every way he can, never…”?

Verified

Abraham Lincoln. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter to William H Herndon (10 July 1848)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“The way for a young man to rise, is to improve himself every way he can, never suspecting that any body wishes to hinder him.”
VerifiedLetter to William H Herndon (10 July 1848) · evidenceSelf-improvement
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter to William H Herndon (10 July 1848).

APA

Lincoln, A. (n.d.). The way for a young man to rise, is to improve himself every way he can, never suspecting that any body wishes to hinder him. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/37202-the-way-for-a-young-man-to-rise/

MLA

Lincoln, Abraham. “The way for a young man to rise, is to improve himself every way he can, never suspecting that any body wishes to hinder him.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/37202-the-way-for-a-young-man-to-rise/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Lincoln, Abraham. “The way for a young man to rise, is to improve himself every way he can, never suspecting that any body wishes to hinder him.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/37202-the-way-for-a-young-man-to-rise/.