In political life, in art, in engineering, the man with talents who behaves with wisdom may steadily improve his position in the world.
 Winston Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field Force (1898). copy citation

Context

“At last, however, he was shot through the body, and carried mortally wounded from the action. I pause to consider for a moment the conditions, and circumstances, by which the pursuit of a military career differs from all others. In political life, in art, in engineering, the man with talents who behaves with wisdom may steadily improve his position in the world. If he makes no mistakes he will probably achieve success. But the soldier is more dependent upon external influences. The only way he can hope to rise above the others, is by risking his life in frequent campaigns.” source