Tuesday, September 10, 2024
I routinely beat a friend at chess until one day he was giving me a great game and suddenly said, “Well, now I’m in trouble.”
“What are you talking about?” I said, “you’re playing better than ever!”
“Yes, but I’ve never gone this far, so I’m not experienced in playing the end game.”
Well, you get that experience by playing more and more end games, dealing with more and more difficult situations.
Go deal with tough people until you can hold your own, and then influence them. Dealing with their subordinates won’t help. Spending time with people who can’t say “yes” is the equivalent of spinning your wheels and being surprised you’re not moving forward.