What Made Napoleon A Great Leader? | 5 BIG Lessons You Can Learn From Napoleon

Everybody has heard about Napoleon Bonaparte, but why did he go down in history as one of history’s greatest men? Early in his life, he was judged for having an accent, but in ten years, he was a successful general who saved France from invasion. Here’s some principles that made Napoleon great and that you can use to become a better leader today…

The 5 Biggest Lessons From Napoleon’s Life

1. Never Give Up

In March 1814, Napoleon was ousted from power after the major powers of Europe allied to finally defeat France. In only a few months, Napoleon went from being the Emperor of France and Master of Europe to being exiled to an obscure island in the middle of the Mediterranean.

It looked like everything was over. Most people would fall from the top and learn their lesson. They’d give up. Napoleon didn’t.

While Napoleon was exiled, the king who replaced him became unpopular with the people. The people were calling for Napoleon to return. So Napoleon boarded a ship and landed on French soil on March 1, 1815.

Napoleon soon reunited with his former soldiers, and on his way to Paris, people shouted, “Vive l’Empereur!”, or “Long Live the Emperor!” So one of the first lessons from Napoleon is to never give up. It’s never over until it’s over.

2. Don’t Let Others Define You

One of the most common beliefs about Napoleon is that he was short. He wasn’t, for his time. The idea that Napoleon was short mainly came from British propaganda. To help turn public opinion against Napoleon, a British cartoonist named James Gillray portrayed him as an angry, arrogant little person.

Napoleon said that Gillray “did more than all the armies of Europe to bring me down.” His illustrations of Napoleon would be influential in shaping his image, but Napoleon didn’t let that stop him. Despite his image as a short, angry general, Napoleon accomplished great things.

3. Have Heros and Copy Them

Napoleon was invested in military life ever since he was a boy. When he was young, he learned all about Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar and aspired to be like them. Early on, he had heroes he wanted to become, and in many ways, he surpassed his heroes.

Having someone to look up to and model your life after is important to being successful. Choose people you want to become more like. Maybe you like that they’re a good cook, have a happy lifestyle, or simply have tons of money. Whatever it is, find out why they have what they have and start living it out.

Want to know the last two principles we can learn from Napoleon?

Finish reading the story at Our Mammoth World by clicking here