Three Lessons to Avoid Being Unreasonable

History has much to teach us, including how to see the present more clearly. Here are three ways to think better from history's great strategists.

Great military leaders know when to break rules they learned in training. They also know how to avoid letting their emotions override their judgment.

Some of the best management research comes from the military. The United States military is one of the best armies in the world, in part because the job’s stakes demand the most of soldiers.

The great generals of history understood how to see the bigger picture and position their soldiers for success. On Grand Strategy by John Gaddis returns to these figures repeatedly. Seeing through the noise is challenging, but three key lessons are things that anyone can practice:

• Cut your losses.

• Break with training when necessary.

• Connect your victories to each other.

Some of these lessons are more intuitive than others, but all three are uncommon practices in real life.