The Moon Has Given Us

You Can't Just Ignore Spacewalking Suit; It Partially Defines The Experience. So Maybe The Most Difficult Thing Is Becoming Completely Attuned To Efficiently Wearing A Garment That Is So Inhibiting To Motion, And Making It Look Effortless, As If It's The Most Natural Thing To Be Out There On A Spacewalk.

People Tend To Think Astronauts Have The Courage Of A Superhero - Or Maybe The Emotional Range Of A Robot. But In Order To Stay Calm In A High-stress, High-stakes Situation, All You Really Need Is Knowledge. Sure, You Might Still Feel A Little Nervous Or Stressed Or Hyper-alert. But What You Won't Feel Is Terrified.

The Danger Is Different From The Fear. ... [practice] What To Do If Things Go Wrong, As Well As Right.

Still, I Also Know That Most People, Including Me, Tend To Applaud The Wrong Things: The Showy, Dramatic Record-setting Sprint Rather Than The Years Of Dogged Preparation Or The Unwavering Grace Displayed During A String Of Losses. Applause, Then, Never Bore Much Relation To The Reality Of My Life As An Astronaut, Which Was Not All About, Or Even Mostly About, Flying Around In Space.

Ultimately, Leadership Is Not About Glorious Crowning Acts. It's About Keeping Your Team Focused On A Goal And Motivated To Do Their Best To Achieve It, Especially When The Stakes Are High And The Consequences Really Matter. It Is About Laying The Groundwork For Others' Success, And Then Standing Back And Letting Them Shine.