The Five Best Jobs To Prepare A President

Someone asked me recently on Quora the following: What five jobs would best prepare a future President of the United States for the complexity of being the nation's chief executive? Here's my answer.

1. Teacher. Being a teacher means you are dedicated to critical thinking and supporting such reasoning in the real world. Further, teachers have to manage a large body of people from different backgrounds with different learning styles. Classrooms are excellent examples of the American public.
2. Neuroscience/Psychology Doctor. Future presidents need to understand how the human brain works in terms of politics. We are wired to allow too much emotion to drive our reasoning process. This scientific fact is covered extensively in Chris Mooney’s book, The Republican Brain. Understanding how to communicate to the general public with this research as a foundation is vital to the presidency.
3. Governor. Leading a state is great practice for being president. Having the experience in a smaller body of governing first gives a potential candidate many tools with which to work and ultimately aids them in their agenda.
4. Parent. Thought not a paying job, being a parent gives a person a unique perspective on lifespan development. Future presidents need to also understand that their decisions have an impact on the next generation.
5. Auto mechanic. This may seem like an odd one but consider what a mechanic has to do all day. They have to work with a wide variety of vehicles that have different ages and designs. Somehow, they have to make them work again. Isn’t that what a president does every day?