Never Give In
United Kingdom (Great Britain) Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave a number of inspirational speeches during World War II, however, none are a famous as the address he gave on October 29, 1941, to the students at Harrow School. It is probably his most quoted speech, but there have been myths and inaccuracies regarding what was said that day.
It is a myth that Churchill stood up before the students and said, “Never, ever, ever, ever give in,” and then sat down. Variations of this myth include the longer version, “Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give in. Never give in. Never give in.” He is also sometimes incorrectly quoted as having said, “Never give up.” I’m only providing this to share the actual quote, not that the meaning is different. Both are powerful statements.
The statement was actually made in the closing remarks of his speech. He stated this lesson: “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” He then continued another few paragraphs of lines before stopping.
The myths surround this speech and the actual words themselves illustrate that Churchill believed that bulldog tenacity in the face of what appeared to be overwhelming defeat was a critical quality that helped turn loss to victory. He endured without complaint and held on tenaciously when all around him was crumbling and it seemed like certain defeat and failure were the only things to look forward toward.
Very few of us face the dire circumstances that Winston Churchill woke to each day during the darkest days of World War II. But how many of us easily resign to giving in before our goals or desired results are achieved? If Churchill would have given in, he most likely would not be remembered as the great statesman he was, and in fact, the world as we’ve known it might easily have been changed. What in your world, or in the entire world, can be changed for the better by you digging deep within and discovering the unshakable determination and persistence you have deep inside to drive you forward and never, never give in? If you can follow this lesson that Churchill lived and shared, you can achieve your goals and do more than you ever dreamed.
Alain Burrese, J.D. is a writer, speaker, and mediator who teaches how to live, take action, and get things done through the Warrior’s Edge. He is an expert on conflict and mediates and teaches conflict resolution and negotiation. He teaches how to use the Warrior’s Edge to Take Action and Achieve Remarkable Results, as well as resolve conflict and negotiate. Additionally, he teaches physical conflict skills in his Hapkido and Self-Defense courses, lectures, and seminars. Alain is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From The School Of Hard Knocks, the DVDs Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking series, and numerous articles and reviews. You can read more articles and reviews and see clips of his DVDs as well as much more athttp://www.burrese.com and http://www.yourwarriorsedge.com