There were many fascinating aspects of Wilson’s career and approach that I discovered while reading this book, but one thing stood out that I wanted to discuss briefly. His devotion to his faith.

This book shed light on aspects of Wilson’s life that aren’t readily apparent, and one area of his life that resonated with me was his unwavering commitment to Christianity (it should be noted that I did not grow up in a Christian household).

Wilson did not actively preach his faith to others, but he ardently practiced it internally. He did not wish to evangelize or sermonize outwardly, especially towards others who may have held different beliefs, but he practiced it himself and let it guide his decisions. He infused every one of his decisions with a moral compass that he devoted himself to.

[This goes back to a concept that I’ll discuss later on, and that I’ve seen in a lot of successful people - the notion that being devoted and dedicated to something, in and of itself, can lead to greater benefits in our lives. But more on that later].

This commitment also permeated his political decision-making:

  • He placed principles before politics
  • He followed his conscience, never first checking public opinion
  • He spoke only for himself

And even so, he found much of the nation agreeing with what he had to say anyways. Even though he never first reviewed the opinions of the American public to guide his decision-making, his decisions, based on his conscience before anyone else, ended up agreeing with them anyways.

And it was evident. The public resonated with a person so visibly dedicated to underlying principles rather than frothy political motives. It came through in every public speech he gave. Although he was the least experienced person to hold the highest political office in the country, he was the most accomplished student of American politics. And he let that guide him.

In 1912, he entered into one of the most thrilling races in the history of the United States, defeating two worthy candidates in the Republican incumbent William Taft, and the progressive Theodore Roosevelt from the Bull Moose Party (a unique event in the country’s traditional two-party duopolistic system). The rest is history.

Reading about Wilson encouraged me to re-examine how things are done now in modern politics, with a hope that principle over pretense can win in the end.