If at First You Don't Succeed...

Saw an interesting poster in my daughter's ethics classroom last night. It was captioned: "If at First You Don't Succeed...You're in Good Company." The poster went on to detail the failures of some pretty notable people-four presidents of the United States. Consider that:

• Abraham Lincoln's first try at business was a dry goods store that went belly-up. He was later appointed postmaster of a small town, but on his watch it was the most inefficient in the county. His final federal job would end more successfully, albeit tragically: saving the Union as president of the United States.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt flunked out of law school, later turning to public service as assistant secretary of the Navy, governor of New York and president of the United States.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower was rejected three times for command positions in the Army. In 1942 he finally got a command appointment: Supreme Allied Commander. He was the man in charge of the D-Day Invasion. In 1953 voters gave him the ultimate command appointment: president of the United States.
• Harry Truman at age 35 saw his haberdashery plunge into bankruptcy. In a foreshadowing of the plucky character he would later demonstrate in Washington, he spent the next 15 years doggedly paying off his debts. In 1945 he brought World War II in for a safe landing. As president of the United States.

Success is not final and failure is not fatal, said Churchill. These four presidents who knew both were part of the two most enduring quests for freedom: the American Civil War and World War II. All were lightly regarded at one time or another, yet all four today are deeply admired and respected. Their failures, as Churchill said, were not fatal. And their successes indeed live on today.

Just thought you might like to know.