Learning from Tom Brady
It’s football season and all eyes are on the teams that are battling it out for the 2007 Super Bowl Ring. Around this time a few notables always emerge with great plays. However, one name has been very consistent over the past five to six years when it comes to post-season football. That’s none other than Tom Brady, the New England Patriots quarterback. Brady normally has the same challenges that any quarterback experiences during the regular season but when it comes to playoff time, he calls it his ‘favorite season’. The other day he said, “You look over the course of the 16-game season, and you come to this week, and you’re so fatigued from 16 games, but you definitely get a second wind. It’s just a different feeling, a different approach”.
What a beautiful summation of what our attitude should be as we start the New Year! Yes, 2006 was rough in many ways. We may have been beat and fatigued by the end of the year. But this is a new beginning and we need a new approach. It’s all about mentality and we can change that! You may have had some successes in 2006 but it’s time to look at things differently because what worked yesterday may not necessarily work today. When asked about his approach, Tom Brady said, “It’s the playoffs. You have to play your best or you won’t be working next week. So, I think you look at it … how we played eight weeks ago has zero bearing on this game. I can’t overstate that enough. It has so little to do… we’re a totally different team at this point.” That’s the attitude of a champion!
Our success in 2007 will hinge on our ability to embrace a superior mode of thinking. The thoughts that brought us to this point will not take us to the next level. We have to see things differently and approach them from new angles. We must embrace new strategies that will yield even better results than what we’ve had before. We need to approach every situation with the understanding that it has the potential to bring huge rewards to us. Do this, and I will definitely see you with a Better Life Ring at the end of the year!
