We all know life is unpredictable. So why does every surprise still feel like a personal failure?

After a couple of decades in leadership, I've learned that beneath our rational minds runs a hidden script of how things should go. The deal should close. I should wake up feeling rested. The meeting should run smoothly. People should act reasonably. Let's repeat that one, slowly. People … should … act … reasonably.

Last week, a mentor of mine recommended a book by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Now, you should know, I never listen to music or audiobooks while I’m running. But I was so intrigued by the first few insights of this book, I had to bring it with me on my next miles.

The moment you think you know, you don’t. It’s not necessarily that we can’t trust information. Rather, it’s that maintaining the posture of a learner always creates deeper connections and a fuller comprehension of an idea or person. As Adam Grant points out in Think Again, our ability to rethink and unlearn is just as critical as our ability to think.

I'll never forget almost being traded to another football team in high school. During a preseason game, I overthrew a receiver. By a lot. My coach stopped the game. After berating me for my mistake, he yelled across the field to the opposing coach, “Who will you give me for this guy? I’ll trade him to you right now!”