Abraham Lincoln could have authored self-help books. He not only knew how to organize and lead, but he knew how to put his ideas into simple, clear, and concise language.

Take his remark, “Things may come to those who wait. But only the things left by those who hustle.”

It’s clever, it’s short, and it shows that idle folks have everything to lose.

The four quotes I’ve selected get at the heart of Lincoln’s wisdom and also his ability to say a lot without saying much. We can learn from Lincoln’s ideas and from his economy with words.

4 Lincoln Quotes Every Leader Should Know

1. I’m a slow walker, but I never walk back.

2. Whatever you are, be a good one.

3. I fear explanations explanatory of things explained.

4. Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?