There’s a story about a man who dug himself a hole so deep that he got stuck. Many of his friends came by and stood at the top of the hole offering advice on how he might get out. The man tried to listen, but every time his strength failed him he fell back to the bottom. Finally, another man passing by heard the commotion, and instead of standing at the top he climbed into the hole. He put his arm around the stuck man and said, “Calm down. It’s okay. I’ve been here before. I know how to get...

I once heard a phrase I liked: “If you can’t get out of something, get into it.” It provides a good perspective on life. When we face something difficult—something that forces us to change our routine, alter our habits, or just makes life a bit harder—we can cope by telling ourselves it is temporary and simply try to “get through it.” But sometimes it’s not temporary. Sometimes, the difficulties we face become endemic. And so this phrase comes in handy: If you can’t get out of something, get...

The Texas Armoring Corporation (or TAC for short) manufactures bullet-proof windshields for cars used by diplomats, dignitaries, and the rich and famous. They are very proud of their product, and they heartily endorse its use. The CEO, Trent Kimball, was so eager to prove the safety of his company’s product that, in a live demo, he sat in the driver’s seat of one of their armored cars while another employee fired an AK-47 directly at him. While the glass absorbed each round, Trent could be...