As CEO of The Atlantic, Nicholas Thompson oversees a venerable journal that has not too long ago returned to profitability after a number of years of false begins, including monetary clout to its slew of star hires and appreciable presence within the media panorama. Earlier than starting his profession on the enterprise aspect, having joined The Atlantic in 2021, Thompson can boast vital achievements working in newsrooms, together with constructing NewYorker.com into an important, digital presence earlier than an award-winning stint as Wired editor-in-chief. However that’s probably not what he needs to speak to Fortune about: He’s right here to debate plantar fasciitis.
The long-time runner is discussing his new e-book, The Operating Floor, which solely devotes a number of pages to his journalistic profession. Far more of it’s about Thompson’s actions as a aggressive runner (together with setting the American file for males 45 and older in 2021, as excerpted in Fortune), and his relationship along with his father, W. Scott Thompson. In 2017, Thompson eulogized his father—a political science professor, member of the Ford and Reagan administrations and the primary overtly homosexual presidential appointment—as having “lived a life that would fill a dozen novels, or maybe a Shakespearean drama.” He advised Fortune his father’s destiny was a helpful lesson, going from a person with “type of infinite prospects,” as soon as considered potential presidential candidate, to somebody “whose life is full disarray.” Thompson stated his father would all the time speak to him about this dynamic: “He who the gods want to destroy, they first make promising.”
This provides him perspective, Thompson stated.
“I by no means, although The Atlantic‘s doing nice, I by no means am too assured that it’s gonna keep that manner,” he stated. He added he’s discovered to love all of the ache that operating brings him. “I’ve been operating most of my life. I began after I was 5 or 6,” Thompson stated in a latest Zoom name. He stated he received “very critical” in highschool (a passage from the e-book describes operating “in a primal manner, screaming inside,” on a monitor in Deerfield, Mass.) earlier than turning into much more passionate in his 30s, after which once more in his 40s. “It’s turn out to be an important a part of my life and one thing I do every single day,” he stated, pivoting his digicam to point out his operating garments and sneakers, gloves and hat, even his coronary heart charge monitor.
On the one hand, he stated operating generally is a “option to construct good psychological habits,” a type of meditation or a option to create psychological area throughout the day. However in one other manner, the aches and pains that come from every day motion are a part of the purpose. “I don’t have a sweeping world philosophy,” Thompson stated when requested if operating has a religious element, however it does have “deeper metaphors” that may inform a profession.
“One of many issues that I consider—and I consider very strongly—is that, you realize, in operating, it goes in waves, proper?” Thompson makes the purpose that you just simply don’t, as a runner, set a private file for a number of consecutive marathons. “You do properly and then you definately do badly,” and that’s the best way it’s alleged to go. Typically you do badly since you lose focus, however different occasions it’s since you get plantar fasciitis, otherwise you had the flawed meal the evening earlier than the race. When you understand it’s important to cope with all of the issues that go flawed in your operating life, he added, “it adjustments the best way you concentrate on life in any respect moments.” Whenever you’re up, he added, don’t get too cocky, and while you’re down, don’t get too down.
Which brings us to his well-known firing from 60 Minutes.
Fired on his first day of labor
“I used to be fairly lucky to have had numerous skilled failure in my 20s,” Thompson advised Fortune, referring to the story, many occasions repeated, about not making it previous someday on the legendary TV newsmagazine within the late Nineteen Nineties. The outlines of the story are well-known, about legendary producer Phil Scheffler shortly sussing out Thompson’s whole lack of TV credentials and dismissing him.
As Thompson retold the story, he described being summoned to Scheffler’s workplace to debate how he’d work because the affiliate for one of many producers for Steve Kroft, the legendary correspondent. He had moved to New York, purchased “good fits” and include an excellent angle, however when Scheffler requested who he was and what had he achieved, Thompson responded merely he hadn’t achieved something in TV. Scheffler requested in response, “Why are you right here?”
“I don’t know,” Thompson replied. “You employed me.” Then got here the sudden termination, and Thompson stated he didn’t understand simply fairly how flawed a call that was on the time. “You’re not supposed to simply hearth somebody after you rent them.” He was only a child, and the individuals who employed him have been pondering “Whoa, I assume we made a mistake.” Trying again, Thompson stated, he had no energy in any respect within the scenario.
Thompson laughs when requested what recommendation he’d give to Gen Z, which is famously battling the entry-level job market of 2025, saying it will not be to get fired as shortly and prominently as he did.
“My recommendation is, if you happen to do get fired, to simply preserve shifting ahead and to to not get too down on your self,” he stated.
He repeated the comparatively customary suggestion to observe your passions in school, research what you need, get no matter diploma is “most enjoyable,” however as soon as you progress past that, actually take into consideration the place your profession ought to be.
“Discover a spot to work the place you may have nice colleagues and the place you possibly can study from people who find themselves smarter than you, and go into a spot the place you’ll have each colleagues who will rise with you as your profession goes on and mentors who will educate you tips on how to be higher at your job,” he stated. That is what led to his redemption from the 60 Minutes fiasco, he added, a element he doesn’t consider has ever been reported earlier than.
Fifteen years after his humiliating termination, Thompson discovered himself at a Livingston Award ceremony the place his New Yorker work was being praised onstage by a type of good colleagues he discovered after 60 Minutes, and none aside from Kroft was a key participant within the awards. Kroft walked into the elevator and acknowledged Thompson—solely from that evening’s speech, not from Scheffler’s workplace. “I labored for you for an hour, and I received fired,” Thompson advised Kroft in regards to the “humorous connection” they really shared.
Kroft’s response was fast: “Steve seems at me and goes, ‘You’re that child? I couldn’t consider that [expletive] fired you. And I’m so sorry we didn’t again you up.” (Messages to Steve Kroft weren’t returned.)
Thompson stated it had apparently turn out to be lore round 60 Minutes in regards to the child who had been kicked to the curb. Thompson recalled he was “actually blissful” to have this second of serendipity, whereas including CBS Information has been very supportive of The Operating Floor.
On reflection, the expertise gave Thompson what he sees as a wholesome form of paranoia. Even when issues are going properly, he stated, “I by no means am too assured that it’s gonna keep that manner.”
When reminded it’s not not like the plantar fasciitis that may flare up for a runner, Thompson agreed it’s not dissimilar. When he overtrains in operating, he will get tendonitis in his knee, “and I can now really feel it approaching fairly early,” which implies he dials again his operating, makes use of a foam curler and places CBD cream on his knee. When plantar fasciitis comes on out of nowhere, he does the same routine, utilizing a foam curler, doing Achilles stretches, placing Castor Oil on his ft when he sleeps.
“There’s all of that wind pushing you backwards, however if you’re smarter about your coaching and the best way you reside and all the alternatives you make, you possibly can form of go quicker into the headwind,” Thompson stated. As in operating and in jobs and in life, “you simply need to learn to address it.”
