Catherine the Second is one of the most famous reigning persons not only in Russia, but throughout the world. Such success was due not at all to luck or coincidence, but to her personal qualities. I have read Catherine's memoirs and I want to tell you about some of the rules that she followed.
Be polite and helpful to everyone
When Catherine first arrived in Russia, she had no friends or patrons. She did not immediately become an empress, and for several years her life was ruled by the acting Empress Elizabeth. Catherine managed not only to make friends with her, but also to win the favor of her servants, including those who were assigned to watch her and control her behavior. Being polite and friendly is the foundation on which relationships can be built, even when people are against you. By not responding in kind, you can change your attitude towards yourself.
Learn
Catherine did not know either the Russian language or many things about the traditions of Russia, but she studied tirelessly. Despite her poor health (she did not immediately acclimatize to the harsh Russian winter), at first she even got up in the middle of the night, long before dawn, only to memorize everything that was written down in her Russian language notebooks. This is what allowed her to quickly become "her own" among the nobles of a foreign state.
The stronger the impression, the less frequent use
From a young age, Catherine believed that if the dress made a splash and aroused genuine admiration of those around her, then it was impossible to wear it anymore, since the next time the impression would be less, and this would cast a shadow on her herself. It is better to come up with a new image so that everyone will be admired again as much, and not half as much. You can often wear only those dresses that make an even impression.
Of course, today few people buy a one-way dress, but if you apply this rule to your image as a whole, it will work great today.
Delegate responsibilities
In her later letters, Catherine never tired of repeating to trusted people that they should be more involved in planning and the most important matters, entrusting everything that is possible to the rest. This strategy helped her a lot, as can be seen from the country's achievements during her reign.
