Premier Mike Baird's popularity could be put down to the fact that he ticks a lot of boxes.
He's a jock that loves surfing, he's the strong Christian with progressive views, he's the father of three with boy-next-door good looks and he is the former merchant banker who left it all, albeit briefly, to pursue religious studies.
But above all, what gives him perhaps his biggest edge over most other political leaders, and what may explain why he is the country's most popular political leader, is that he isn't a career politician.
Mr Baird studied economics in university and was accepted into a graduate program at a bank.
He eventually became a merchant banker, describing the career in the cut-throat industry as "incredibly rewarding".
At age 27, he questioned whether he was making a big enough contribution to society and decided to leave the world of banking and signed up for theology college in Vancouver.
He can now see the funny side of his career changes.
"I don't know what my next career (will be) if I've been a banker and in politics," he told AAP.
"I don't know if you can do down from there. What is it, a lawyer?"
Eventually he decided being a church minister was not for him and he resumed his career in banking, but life took another twist in 2007 when he entered NSW parliament as MP for Manly.
Mr Baird assumed the role of premier in less than ideal circumstances in April 2014, replacing Barry O'Farrell after the then premier gave misleading evidence to the ICAC over a $3000 bottle of wine.
Mr Baird said he was in a state of disbelief that fateful morning when his press secretary told him that "Barry's resigned".
"Once I started to understand events, people started saying `well, you need to be prepared to step up now'," he said.
"And that was probably the realisation that things were going to be very different whatever happened going forward."
Like his Labor rival Luke Foley, Mr Baird was raised with strong Christian values.
During his inaugural speech to parliament, he touched on his faith, saying he saw in his father, respected state and federal politician Bruce Baird, and mother Judy, "a life lived in Jesus".
Growing up, his parents would drag him along to church where he'd hang out at the youth group.
"It was pretty much an opportunity just to have fun, meet girls and go surfing," he said.
His defining moment as premier has undoubtedly been his handling of the Lindt cafe siege.
Looking back at the tragedy now, Mr Baird says he feels proud of the way people in Sydney united.
"It's probably my proudest moment in this state, those few days after the siege," he says.
"I've never seen anything like it, never experienced anything like it where people of all different faiths, backgrounds, ages, cultures came together as one."
But he says he still feels uncomfortable passing by the cafe.
"I can't really look at the cafe without feeling these pangs of despair at what took place," he said.
"I know over time that will heal but ... the impacts are still pretty raw."
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