Churchill's learnings

Like him or loathe him, Sir Winston Churchill led a life that few, if any are likely to rival. As someone who saw and served in four wars in his lifetime (Mahdist, Boer, Great War and WWII), spent approximately 64 years in and out of politics, wrote millions of words across multiple published books, was an avid painter and historian, saw the invention of the motor vehicle, aeroplane and nuclear age, fought against Fascism and Communism and was married for almost 60 years; he lived a full life in his 90 years.

Unsurprisingly there is much we can seek to learn from someone of his character and wisdom and I was sign posted to one of his biographies this week.

With #ryanholidays upcoming tour of Australia just round the corner, I have been rereading his books of the stoic virtues. This week was ‘Stillness is the Key’ that flagged the book Churchill by Paul Johnson. As an admirer of his life since my early adult years (the combination of British Army Officer and staunch patriot aligned a few boxes…) I added it to my reading list. I was not disappointed.

In summary the five key takeaways I believe would serve anyone -with a growth mindset - well, are;

1. Always aim high. While we may not always meet the target, by aiming high we always achieve something worthwhile.
2. There is no substitute for hard work. Irrespective of what you do, hard work leads to personal fulfilment and sense of achievement. Just ensure you balance work and play.
3. Don't allow mistakes, unpopularity, and criticism to get you down. Everyone's a critic, and everyone is fighting invisible battles, but the only person you're competing with is yourself. Have courage in your convictions
4. Don't waste time and emotional energy on blaming others, revenge or grudges. Hatred and anger is exhausting and bad for the judgment. Forgive and make up.
5. Make room for joy. Life is much more enjoyable if you smile, and who doesn't want to hang out with happy people?!

Working in the people space across multiple sectors and organisational levels, I’m often reminded of how complex relationships, team dynamics and humans can be. We often fail to step back, take a breath and look for the good in others and what we're trying to achieve.

Hopefully you will take the time to ponder these five insights from a great and wise man (Churchill, not me) and enter your next conversation with a little more joy.