One of the common characteristics of extraordinary leaders is introspection. They study themselves. They know their weak spots. They grow. The Winston Churchill who pushed the disastrous Gallipoli invasion in the First World War was very different from the insightful leader who rallied Britain when it faced mortal danger in 1940.
Look at Lincoln, Washington, and Franklin and you'll find deeply introspective personalities. Other leaders, also great, go astray when they fail to heed their own life's lessons or ignore their flaws. The introspection that makes the vital difference is not that of the vain, but of those who combine self-confidence with humility. Those words of so long ago are still valuable: Know thyself.
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