Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows.... But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.—Rocky Balboa

On a recent Friday night, I was flipping through channels to find a movie to watch with my oldest son. I perked up when we came across Rocky. What a great opportunity to introduce him to some powerful life lessons, such as hard work requires self-discipline, and that even when you try really hard, you might not win.

I kept sneaking glances at him throughout the movie to assess his interest. When the movie was over, I excitedly asked, “What did you think?” His responses:
“Do you think they used real blood in the boxing scenes?” and “Punching dead cows is awesome!” and “Can I have a turtle?”

So, not exactly what I expected, but it reminded me that my role as a leader—whether it’s with a child, employee, or colleague—is to keep introducing life lessons with the hope that one day they will take hold.

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