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President Obama talks lessons learned during his presidency

"CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King spoke with President Barack Obama about how he has grown -- as a person and as a president -- during his seven years in office.
President Obama reflects on lessons learned 02:17

In a wide-ranging conversation conducted as part of Super Bowl celebrations, President Obama spoke to "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King inside the Oval Office about North Korea, Zika virus, and what he has learned during his years in office.

Mr. Obama said he doesn't think he has changed much over the past seven years -- as a man or as a president -- but he has grown.

"I think my basic character is unchanged, and Michelle and close friends of mine who've known me for years would say, 'He's the same guy,'" he said.

President Obama on North Korea missile threat, Zika virus 02:11

"There's obviously some hard-won wisdom from overcoming challenges, figuring out really hard problems. I told somebody in another interview though, that probably the most important thing -- and maybe this is just a function of age as well as having been around the track a while as president -- you lose that fear. You lose that sense of, 'Oh, what if something goes wrong?' Because there are going to be things that go wrong."

"You lose that tightness that comes from being very self-conscious about not making mistakes," the president continued.

"At a certain point, you realize that look, you do your best. You make your call, you make your decision. Most of the time it's gonna work, but it's not gonna work perfectly. You're going to have to continue to make adjustments, and that gives you a certain confidence. That allows you to play a little bit better."

See more of Gayle King's interview with President Obama Tuesday on "CBS This Morning."

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