On the surface, a pair of doctors, a soccer coach, an Air Force fighter pilot, a psychologist, a boxer and an injury recovery specialist might have little in common.
But as I’ve listened to their stories in recent weeks, I’ve found these high-stakes decision-makers from all corners of the globe have several consistencies to their careers, leadership philosophies and general responses to seemingly agonizing setbacks.
For the final Best of 7 of 2025, I compiled a list of themes that have emerged from recent interviews and tried to find the intersection of their success principles and larger leadership ideas.
1. Make high-stakes decisions in low-pressure moments
Contingency planning wasn’t necessarily a revolutionary concept to me, but I’ve been particularly struck by just how many leaders have leaned on their advance work in critical decision-making moments.
From retired Air Force Col. Kim Campbell falling back on her mantras after her aircraft was struck by a missile, to Mount Everest doctor Ken Kamler planning for hypotheticals before dangerous expeditions, to soccer coach Michael Loftman writing down most-likely match scenarios on an index card, to boxer Ed Latimore devising a plan for getting punched, there’s been no shortage of leaders who have done extensive prep work long before adversity actually hits.
The larger takeaway to me was that while the external world often glorifies quick thinking and swift response under duress, very seldom are those choices actually made spur of the moment. They’re conceived and repeatedly rehearsed in low-stakes environments to the point that they become second-nature.
2. There’s a freedom that comes from making peace with the worst-case scenario
I’ve always been fascinated by how people keep some hope despite a grim reality staring them in the eyes. So, I was particularly curious to ask Steve Callahan about how he maintained any semblance of optimism while stranded at sea for 76 days.
“You have to accept that you have to make decisions, and you do the best you can with those,” he said. “You try to go through it, and you try to accept worst-case scenarios. If you can accept the worst-case scenario, then maybe it’s worth doing.”
Weeks later, I asked Loftman, the soccer coach, about hardships he’d faced in his career. He expressed a similar sentiment to Callahan’s.
“I think a lot of coaches and players and just people in general have this fear of having nothing,” he said. “I think now I just have this idea that it's going to be fine, and I'll make a plan. Don’t worry about the downside, just keep trying to make it better. You will be fine if the worst does happen.”
The worst-case scenario is often frightening, and thoughts of it alone can freeze us.
But confronting the grim facts and coming to terms with what could ultimately be a difficult reality is a critical perspective shift that can increase our willingness to take appropriate — and often beneficial — risks, thus achieving results that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible.
3. Rock bottom isn’t a terrible place to start
Loftman and Latimore both experienced major low points in their 20s.
For Loftman, it was getting sacked in Zambia following just one season after he’d essentially given up everything in his native England to move. For Latimore, it was getting thrown out of his then-girlfriend’s mother’s home, acknowledging that if he died that day, “nobody would know or care.”
Yet, both said these were major catalysts for change and larger improvement.
“I just found a boxing gym and I said, ‘We'll see how this goes, but if I stop fighting, it's going to be because I get injured. I'm not going to quit.’” Latimore said. “It was about not being a dud in life and chasing a goal.”
“It was probably the most important experience I ever had, being in a country where you don't know anybody, you're on your own, you're trying to figure everything out,” Loftman said. “You don't really know what you're doing. But it was real deep-end learning.”
My takeaway was that it’s not necessarily about avoiding failure or wondering “What if?” when a plan veers off course. It’s about the response in those instances and the realization that despite the mistakes or poor choices that have led us to this point, we still ultimately have some control over our destinies.
That willingness to experiment when we feel we have nothing to lose can lead to something that might not have otherwise been possible.
4. Over-personalizing negative events is a common pitfall
Carrie Jackson works with athletes who have suffered significant injuries and now must navigate the mental side of recovery.
One of the things she says distinguishes those who come back faster and stronger is that they don’t act like they’re the first person this has ever happened to.
“That’s just a tendency with a negative experience: ‘Why is this happening to me?’” Jackson said. “It’s (taking) more of a Buddhist philosophy, like, ‘This is happening. What do I need to do with the fact that it is?’”
That was essentially the same mindset applied by Callahan, Latimore and Loftman.
Suffering and disappointment can easily back us into a corner and create feelings of isolation. But acknowledging the difficult new reality and maintaining perspective that we’re not the only person going through something extreme at the moment is a key initiative in pursuit of the next achievable step.
5. The toughest decision…
I’ve asked just about every person I’ve interviewed about the toughest decision they’ve made in their career. Most have expressed some reluctance or initial hesitation over leaving a job.
What really struck me, however, was that many said they weren’t especially satisfied with what they were doing before and simply maintained the status quo to please someone else — in a few cases, a family member.
It wasn’t until they decided to make a dramatic change and essentially give up what was average to them — though prestigious to another person — that they reached another level of achievement and larger satisfaction.
My takeaway was that manifesting our greatest ambitions often requires a degree of stubbornness and conviction — and a willingness to accept that not everyone will understand the short-term plan.
6. Obsession and open-mindedness
These were the two qualities Latimore said distinguished his long-time coach, Tom Yankello.
But It occurred to me that they were the same attributes that seemed to fuel the successes of cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Curtis Tribble, Loftman and Kamler.
Obsession, to me, refers to supreme devotion and a willingness to do what others won’t. In essence, it’s short-term suffering in pursuit of greater skill, precision and understanding.
I take open-mindedness to mean that despite past achievements, there’s still an insatiable curiosity and a larger desire to discover a more efficient way of doing something.
The two, in tandem, make for incredible potential.
7. Simply listening buys us some credibility
Loftman and Tribble both stressed the importance of strategic listening and allowing others to make themselves feel heard.
The interesting part to me, though, was that even though Loftman and Tribble knew they might not be able to satisfy the other party, they still viewed the exercise as a valuable opportunity to demonstrate care.
“I try to make sure part of the language of leadership is respect for everybody, for their backgrounds, for their opinions and points of view, figuratively or literally,” Tribble said.
“If you can let people be heard and actually listen when it doesn't work out exactly in their favor, they'll give you some grace knowing that you took the time to try,” Loftman said.
My takeaway was that it’s easy to avoid conversations that are very likely going to lead to an element of conflict.
But while there may not be an immediate gain by engaging in the dialogue, a reasonable person will at least appreciate that some sort of effort was made — and may give us the benefit of the doubt on another issue down the road.