To do the “right” thing will often be at great cost. Abraham Lincoln could have kept the status quo. Throughout his life, he endured many hardships and failures before becoming the President of the United States. Upon acheiving a position of stature and power, he could have enjoyed the fruits of his struggles. Instead, he led the country through a wrenching civil war, ripping apart families and communities, in order to do the “right” thing; ensuring that all men would truly be considered equal.