5 Important Life Lessons We Can All Learn From Sir Winston Churchill

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” – Winston Churchill Quotes

Introduction

A remarkable man, Winston Churchill, was an orator, writer, politician, and soldier who helped Britain achieve its victory during the Second World War.

Winston Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. He came from a prominent family with his politician father from the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough, Lord Randolph Churchill, and socialite mother Jennie Jerome, daughter of American millionaire.

Despite his poor grades in school, Churchill attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He then joined the army and as a part-time journalist at the same time. The young Churchill saw actions in British India and Sudan. He was captured during the Second Boer War but escaped.

In 1900, Churchill won a seat as Conservative member of the parliament for Oldham. His deselection resulted to his transfer to the Liberal party. When the Liberals won in 1905 with Henry Campbell-Bannerman as prime minister, Churchill was designated as undersecretary at the Colonial Office.

The 1906 election gave Churchill a seat for Manchester North West. Two years later, he was elected as the president of the Board of Trade where he contributed in the passing of new measures including Britain’s first minimum wages and People’s Budget. In 1910, he was promoted as Home Secretary.

Churchill also served as First Lord of Admiralty but later on resigned due to the controversies in the Gallipoli campaign. In 1917, he was appointed as minister of munitions. He also rendered service as secretary of state for war and air from 1919 to 1921. He then crossed the floor back to the Conservative Party and in 1924 became the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

When the Conservative Party lost in the 1929 elections, Churchill spent several years in a hiatus from the political arena and focused on writing. He has also been vocal of his opposition to India’s independence and established the India Defence League to preserve the power of Britain in India.

His repeated warnings on the need of Britain’s rearmament and the threat of Nazi Germany were ignored. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Churchill was appointed again as the First Lord of the Admiralty. A year after, Churchill took the place as Prime Minister when Neville Chamberlain resigned. He led Britain until the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Churchill was again out of office when the Conservative lost the general election in 1945. He went back to writing and public speaking while maintaining his position as leader of the opposition. He regained his position as prime minister in 1951 until his resignation in 1955 due to his failing health condition.

He died on January 24, 1965 in London where he was given a state funeral. He was also regarded as the first person to be an honorary citizen of the United States of America. Before his death, Churchill won the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was married to Clementine Hozier Churchill in 1908 and had five children.

Statue of Winston Churchill (left). Panorama of Parliament Square and Queen Elizabeth Tower in London, United Kingdom

Winston Churchill: ‘Now We Are Masters of Our Fate’ Speech (Video)

5 Important Life Lessons from Winston Churchill

Living is becoming practical these days because of technology, but has it given the same effect to the quality of life of individuals? There are so many life lessons that a lot of people have yet to discover. Life is a series of discoveries, but people don’t need to face problems for them to learn. By simply looking back to history, we will be able to savor the moral teachings of the personalities from the past. One excellent example is the legacy of Winston Churchill.

Winston Churchill has inspired so many people, especially under his leadership during World War II. His position as a Prime Minister back in the days has provided him an excellent avenue to show his inspirational legacies, not only to his people, but also to the individuals in the other parts of the world. He was not only a good leader, but also a magnificent inspiration to all. As a matter of fact, below are some of the life lessons that he has left to his people and to the rest of the world.

Life Lesson # 1 – Live Life to the Fullest

Winston Churchill said, “Now, is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” These words actually tell us that it is important to value life. Life is actually a journey that is meant to be lived. It is undeniable that life’s happiness also com with troubles. However, there are no problems that do not have any solution.

What Winston Churchill wants to know is that we have to embrace the beauty of life. He teaches us that the key to success is ourselves and the changes that we are willing to embrace. It is actually best to live every day like it is the last day. That is why, it is essential for us to do our best in every action that we take.

Life Lesson # 2 – Don’t Give Up

According to Winston Churchill, “continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential.” The thing with individuals today is that they want instant success. However, success is a process that needs to be carefully tendered. You can start small and work your way up to the top. Even in your small continuous efforts, you will succeed.

Persistence is actually the key to achieving your goals. No matter how hard life could be, always keep your hopes up and be persistent. Remember, that only a few people have truly tasted success because only a few have taken the road less travelled. In the end, it does pay to go the extra mile. Don’t give up to soon, or you will lose something that you might deserve to have.

Life Lesson # 3 – Think Positive

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” This is a quote by Winston Churchill tat up to this day could bring a string impact to a lot of people and the way they live their lives. The world has to so much to offer and the people have the freewill to make decisions that are appropriate to their needs. However, very few people master the art optimism. Most people succeed because of their positive outlook in life. This is what Winston Churchill wants the populace to know. Positivity attracts positive opportunities. Your positive insights can turn into positive goals, and positive goals can turn into success.

Life Lesson # 4 – Focus on the Present

Through Winston Churchill, we are taught that “it is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.” A lot of times, many people miss their opportunities because they are too busy looking into what might happen in the future compared to what is already happening in the present. However, the great Winston Churchill wants us to know that focusing on the now is actually the first steps to success. The goals have to be realistic as well. Alongside the focus needed for your success is the optimism and the discipline to make sure that you follow the right tracks to your success.

Life lesson # 5 – Keep Your Motivation and Enthusiasm Intact

One of the life lessons that Winston Churchill has offered to the universe is the art of enthusiasm. He once said, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” This actually reminds us that the life we ought to live will never be perfect. There could be failures along the way, but those failures should never be the reason for us to give up. Things may not go as you have planned them to be. However, you have the power to keep your faith and improve your enthusiasm even more. Positivity is still the key in this life lesson that Winston Churchill has left as a legacy to the world.