 |
| Churchill, Age 26 |
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm."
— Winston S. Churchill
British Artist, Historian, Writer and Statesman
1874 - 1965
 |
| Churchill painting (1946) |
Churchill was a man who faced both failure and success multiple times throughout his life. He did poorly in school, had a speech impediment, grieved the death of a child, smoked Havana cigars, and was captured and spent time as a prisoner of war in South Africa. He wrote a novel, two biographies, three volumes of memoirs and several books of history. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. He painted hundreds of paintings and several now hang in museums. He served as the Prime Minister of Great Britain twice. So when Churchill speaks of failure and success we all should listen.
We all face both failure and success in our lives. How we respond to what life hands us will tell others a lot about our character. When you suffer the humiliation of defeat and rejection, how do you respond? Do you become angry? Do you seek revenge? Do you withdrawal into depression? When you receive some honor and are applauded by everyone, how do you respond? Does the recognition go to your head and you become arrogant? Do you act like a diva and expect everyone to do your bidding? How we deal with the successes and failures of life tells us a lot about ourselves.
 |
| Daybreak at Cassis, near Marseilles (1920) |
