In the days of his young adulthood Winston Churchill sought out danger and fortune, both with an eye on what the exposure would do for him in political life, and also in what excitement it would bring him. He lived with a zest of adventure in almost everything that he did. Not a strong lad and somewhat challenged with numbers and mathematics, Churchill excelled in vocabulary, classic literature, and history. Physical sport and activity was not missed, but he would not strain himself unless it was needed.
Churchill learned what his limitations were and tested them by striving further than he had the last time, in whatever he turned his hand to. Later in life, while in political purgatory before the war, he learned how to paint and built stone and brick walls in the gardens around his home. He managed to plant a large garden and use a bulldozer to dig out a pond on his farm.
The more that Churchill did in his life, the more confident he became, both in his abilities and in himself. He was not overconfident, but centered in his belief in his abilities, in what he understood, and what he stood for. When he stood with confidence Churchill set a standard that others looked up to. His confidence was contagious. He was the model of perseverance, physical and mental energy. The morning after the first blitz he drove down to the docks-to the center of the destruction. He set the tone for his people by being there, on the front line, asking the people if they were disheartened. The crowds always answered “NO” because their leader was not disheartened nor were they.
A leader that questions his reasons, that questions his core beliefs, cannot and will not lead – for the people will see right through it. Churchill possessed the right combination of skills and experience to build center in his belief that he was the right leader for the time. Without that centered belief, in what he was doing and in himself, he could not have led.
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