I don’t find Winston Churchill inspiring because England ended up winning World War II.

I find him inspiring because of everything he endured to accomplish that victory.

Churchill was written off more times than I can count, as a politician, a military mind, and a financial thinker. He made some big mistakes.

But he never let those mistakes stop him. He stuck with his knitting, kept his head up, and ultimately guided England through World War II against odds that most people thought were impossible.

In fact, for a long time, Churchill was deeply unpopular. Many people actively spread lies about him – and yet he held his ground anyway.

I have profound respect for that stubbornness. It’s easy to stand firm when the crowd is with you. It takes character to hold an unpopular position when you’re being attacked for it.

Churchill also evolved. He moved across the political spectrum over his lifetime, from more liberal to more conservative and then back toward the middle.

He wasn’t afraid to change his mind when he believed he was wrong, and he wasn’t afraid to break with his own party when he believed they were wrong. That intellectual honesty and independence is rare, both then and now.

I’d love to see more leaders today with that kind of Churchillian character, people who can take the personal hits, evolve when they need to, stand firm when the situation calls for it, and ultimately do what’s right over what’s easy.

We could use a lot more of that integrity.

Mark Lester, Principal LANDCO NEXA