Politics. Don't Do It Unless...
Three Uncommon Lessons From Tony Blair
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One of my beliefs is that you can learn from someone, without agreeing much with what they do or say. Tony Blair is one such person. He’s equally admired and demonised. But he’s experienced a lot in politics. From that we can learn.
Here are three uncommon lessons from Tony Blair about making it in politics:
1. You’re Never Fully Ready
Imagine winning the election, and instead of feeling triumph, you’re hit with the weight of responsibility. In his first days, Tony Blair already knew that the "journey is going to be really difficult". Looking back, he said:
This insight is reflected by the Dunning-Kruger effect: at the start of a new challenge, we often feel overconfident, unaware of how much we don’t know. But as we dive deeper and gain more experience, our confidence can take a hit - we begin to grasp just how complex the task really is.
The lesson: you may not feel fully ready, but it’s in that space of discomfort that real growth happens. Confidence returns when you make progress through action, not from waiting until you feel prepared. Accepting that you don't feel fully ready allows you to focus on becoming more ready.
2. Don’t Do It, Unless…
Thinking about a career in politics?
Blair’s advice: Don’t do it, unless...
Unless you’ve first learned about the world outside of politics.
And unless you deeply believe in what you want to achieve.
This aligns with three concepts from psychology:
Broaden-and-build theory. Diverse experiences - whether traveling, working in different industries, or engaging in new cultures - expand our cognitive abilities and emotional intelligence. In a study titled "The shortest path to oneself leads around the world", researchers emphasise the role of travel in gaining a clearer sense of self.
Intrinsic motivation. When your drive comes from a genuine belief in your cause, it sustains you through challenges and setbacks. It boosts your resilience.
P-power vs. S-power. Your need for power can be driven by personal goals (p-power) or goals for an institution, group, society (s-power). Knowing that you have a cause beyond yourself and actively pursuing it, is a good sign that you’re on the s-power side linked to more reflective judgement, self-control and taking social responsibility.
3. Schedule Time to Think
In 1996, when Tony Blair was opposition leader, he met Bill Clinton. Before leaving the Oval Office, Clinton told him ‘I want to talk to you about something really important’…
Scheduling.
The advice: schedule time to think strategically. Otherwise, the system is going to take up your time. Things happen and events, tactics, strategy all get mixed up.
What appears trivial, is supported by at least two concepts:
Science of productivity, especially Parkinson’s Law: work expands to fill the time allotted. Without intentionally scheduling moments for reflection and big-picture thinking, the day’s tasks will overwhelm you. Effective leaders (and thinkers) know how to protect their mental bandwidth. Prioritizing deep, uninterrupted thinking leads to better decisions, innovation, and long-term success.
Cognitive load theory. Our brains can only handle so much information before we become overwhelmed. When your schedule is constantly filled with reactive tasks, you lose the mental space needed for deep, creative problem-solving. Leaders who block out time to think strategically protect their cognitive resources, allowing them to make better decisions and innovate, rather than just putting out fires.
Once you’ve scheduled that time, here are a few ideas on how to focus on what matters most:
Which of these lessons resonates most, which least?
Until the next time,
Daniel