“The problem of our time is that men do not want to be useful but important,” said Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the famous Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II.

I have been interested in different ways of dealing with adversity for some time. Much of the information I gathered focused on the need for the human being, as a person, to be able to face the challenges that lie ahead. For this, it is necessary to apply some methodology that allows us to deal calmly, with reflection and decision in the middle of the storm.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), the sixteenth president (1861-1865) of the United States, experienced moments of extremely high tension during that country’s Civil War (1861-1865), which pitted the northern states against those in the south.

At one point, a rural, pro-slavery Southern group of states began a stampede against the leader, who was fighting to unify the states and end slavery.

In the first battle known as Bull Run, Lincoln and his allies were overwhelmingly defeated; Their decisions were not correct and they had to come up with a new plan.

Lincoln felt the loneliness of power; His decisions were his own and no one could replace him as commander-in-chief. Negative thoughts, anger and frustration occupied the then president.

For those moments of greatest tension, Lincoln had a special methodology: he overcame the loneliness and pressure of his thoughts by walking at night through the long corridors of the White House. He also had a habit of leaning against the wall to think about his actions, and on other occasions told jokes to his co-workers. These are the various routines he has established to clear his mind and calm his momentum.

They seem like external things in public or business life, but knowing how to handle yourself, recognizing what we have and what we lack, is an advantage when we face a crisis situation.

In today’s life, we rarely stop and think about how to approach everyday life, and many of us expect only one result, without working on it properly, and even less do it disciplinedly, that is, all the time.

In politics or everyday life, one has to make decisions every day in a very complex environment. To be successful, it is necessary to have a method that allows us to assimilate the situation, accept the reality we are facing and seek the calmness necessary to respond with a plan that is up to the challenge. We must be strong in mind, heart and body, it is a personal work that no one else can do for us. That’s how I define a useful person, someone who can make things happen or work for the benefit of as many people as possible.

To command a nation, useful people are needed, not important ones, those who leave a mark. Let the course of things change, let the banal be in the background, and the important thing is to be and be better than yesterday. (OR)