Abrhm Lincoln's journey from bing jut nthr litiin to bming America's greatest ridnt. Hitril rnking f Presidents of th United States" which mk it clear tht in th f mn xrt, and the public, Linln h nitntl hld thi ttu.
A k t thi transformation was hw Linln, wh birthday i today, developed th lf-diilin t tk n of his signature strengths-; hi mastery of language-; nd ud it to serve the intrt of th Amrin l rthr thn his wn.
Linln w undubtdl n of the grtt mmunitr mng all Amrin ridnt. Hi wrd-; a ubli speaker, writr, dbtr, humrit, nd conversationalist-; continue t ntrtin, educate, and inir u to thi d. With nl one r f frml hling, Linln niul cultivated thi mastery f lngug nd xrin. As a ung b, he would rti public king b gthring hi frind tgthr nd ting nt a stump to address thm. During hi d a lwr in Illini, Linln wuld frequently mt u in th vning with frind t a tavern whr they wuld ngg in tr-tlling ntt. And h glnd valuable lessons in rhtri by diligently tuding Shkr.
As h bgn forging hi political ambitions, Linln rgnizd th wr f words t wkn nd vn dtr his nnt, nd he started t ttk them with wrful vll of ritiim nd mockery. Un provocation t a political gthring in 1840, Linln mimikd nd ridiuld his opponent, J Thm, t urriu cheering f th crowd. Thm, wh w rnt at th event, w rdud t tears, and fr r afterward, the l referred t it "th kinning f Thomas."