Lincoln's remark cuts deeper than the common plea for self-improvement—he's insisting that wisdom isn't a destination but a demonstrable daily practice. Notice he says "not much of a man," which means he's measuring character itself by this standard, not merely applauding those who happen to learn things. A person might read a book, absorb facts, even gain skills, yet remain unchanged in judgment; Lincoln demands that we be *wiser*—which means our very capacity to discern right action must visibly grow. When you catch yourself making the same mistake twice, or defending a position you've abandoned, you feel the weight of his expectation: yesterday's understanding should already be obsolete.