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Think about the leaders you admire. They usually possess a mix of skills and knowledge that go beyond their specific field. They understand more about life than just what they specialize in. This kind of broad understanding often comes from spending time alone, away from distractions.

In the late 1950s, America was in the midst of a Cold War with the Soviet Union. Tensions were high, and the stakes were even higher. One man found himself at the center of it all: President John F. Kennedy. Just a few months into his term, Kennedy faced one of the most significant challenges of his career—the Bay of Pigs invasion. The operation was a complete failure, resulting in a public relations nightmare and leaving the U.S. at a disadvantage in the Cold War chess game.

Sometimes, leaders can't let go of their old jobs or ways of doing things. They keep looking back, checking in on things they used to do, even when they have a whole new set of responsibilities. This is like driving a car but always looking in the rearview mirror. What happens? You're going to crash or get stuck.

We've all been there. Someone offers up some advice you didn't ask for, and your gut reaction is to get defensive or brush it off. You might even get angry. But what if that advice, as annoying as it might be in the moment, is the missing link you've been looking for? What if it's that extra five percent you need to go from good to great, or even from stuck to unstoppable?

Once I had a boss who over-optimized the skill of negotiating job offers completely in favor of the company, haggling my worth like I was at yard sale.