Meet George Washington: The Man Who Walked Away

The indispensable man

He lost more battles than he won, yet held a freezing, unpaid army together for eight years by force of character. When officers plotted to march on Congress, one look — and a fumbled pair of spectacles ('I have grown gray in your service, and now find myself growing blind') — dissolved the conspiracy.

The abdications

King George III reportedly said that if Washington gave up power he would be the greatest man in the world. He did — twice: resigning his commission after victory, and walking away from the presidency after two terms when he could have held it for life. The precedent was the point.

Why they belong at your table

Seat him when power, credit, or control tempts you to hold on too long. He knows exactly how that cup feels — and how to set it down.