The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Biological Parallel

When wildebeest cross the Mara River during migration, there's no good option: stay and starve, or cross through crocodiles and currents. The 'hard thing' isn't solving a puzzle—it's choosing between bad options under resource constraints. Alpha wolves make these calls constantly: attack the moose and risk injury, or let the pack starve? Leadership in biology is decision-making when all choices carry mortality risk. Horowitz describes selection pressure on leaders.