"You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence"

This quote by Abraham Lincoln talks to the significance of allowing people to take effort and preserve their self-reliance. He is suggesting that character and courage can not be built by taking away a person's ability to make their own decisions and act on their own. Rather, he is advocating for allowing people to take effort and make their own choices, as this is how character and guts are established. He is stressing the value of autonomy and self-determination in order to foster personal growth and advancement. By permitting individuals to take initiative and maintain their self-reliance, they have the ability to gain from their errors and establish the guts and character needed to succeed.