In this last episode of 2020, I hit pause to consider lessons learned over the course of a tumultuous year, and share a few things that I’m concerned about and excited about in 2021.
2020 was a tumultuous year to say the least, but we made it through! We’re here and it’s as good a time as any to consider what was learned. I’m a big proponent of life long learning and some of the best learning come through experience coupled with reflection. For me, for example, this year was an incredible opportunity to learn and write about presidential decision-making while watching it unfold in real time as America grappled with a pandemic, social upheaval, a raucous election and more.
This episode is by no means an exhaustive exploration of all I thought and read, so if you’re interested in hearing my thoughts on other topics please drop me a line and ask away!
In the meantime, I hope the rest of your 2020 is restful and restorative. Merry Christmas and I’ll see you in 2021!
Main topic: Looking back and looking ahead
What I learned this year
- The difficulty of presidential leadership,especially in coordinating national security
- The equality-freedom divide
- I’m capable of more than I realize
What I’m concerned about next year
- We won’t learn much from 2020
- Getting back to “normal”
- Increased polarization
- China pushes America
What I’m looking forward to next year
- Olympics!
- Ending lockdowns
- Getting to dissertation
- The return of the Revolutions podcast!
- Making improvements to TTP
Conversation starters
What did you learn in 2020 that you plan to utilize in 2021?
The spoken and written word (podcasts and reading)
Books and Articles
- Rodman, Presidential Command
- Kaplan, Dark Territory
- My newsletter the Weekly Brief