I consciously strive to draw inspiration from the beauty of life. Growing up in eastern Massachusetts I always found such beauty in the game of football and the wonderful metaphor for life that plays out in 3 hours on any given Sunday afternoon. My specific team is the New England Patriots. Over time the beauty of the my personal holy trinity otherwise known as Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady came to represent an example of how I wanted to live.
I regularly find myself drawing inspiration and lessons from this organization, and most specifically with how they respond to adversity and imperfection. In my life, I’ve learned that how you respond to adversity is certainly a defining characteristic of what kind of life you’ll have.
How I have been influenced
A galvanizing force and repeated example in how I parent my children has been the Patriot Way. Having moved my kids from Massachusetts to Texas, I successfully conditioned them to become Patriots fans. I attempted to condition the hundreds of kids I coached at the youth football level into Patriots fans too. During my coaching days I made sure to always reflect on Tom Brady as a shining example for just about any point that needed to be made. Common examples that I highlighted revolved around hard work, teamwork, focus, handling success, and responding to failure.
Triple Crown is a company my business partners and I have built from scratch since 2004. We now employ over 600 people with a goal of employing 3,000 over the next 10 years. Tom Brady has been a glue-like force in how I choose to engage with my leadership team and the overall organization at Triple Crown. Nearly every training session or company meeting I deliver has some reference to Tom, Bill or The Patriots, as part of the teaching opportunity.
As a man who strives to constantly live incrementally better today than I did yesterday, I find myself frequently looking to Tom as an example of how to do that. There is no adult whom I do not personally know that has brought me and my boys more joy than Tom Brady.
Adapt. Evolve. Appreciate
Today, I read in his own words that he was moving on from football. My first thought was selfish. How am I supposed to be an adult now? My second thought was to write a letter to anyone in authority who would listen demanding they mandate he continue to play for the “greater good”. Once I got that out of my system, I shed some tears of mourning, gratitude, joy, and eventually excitement. I legitimately sat in my meditation spot and let out my emotion on the topic in advance of meditating.
I realized that he gets to move on to the next phase of his life and learn how to dominate that. His remarkable journey is an example of what’s possible with the right type of abundance mindset. I’m certain he’s just getting started, and his best years are likely ahead of him. He’s now giving me another gift which is the opportunity to adapt and evolve without his constant leadership to draw upon.
I’m thankful to have been born in Eastern, Massachusetts. I’m grateful to have experienced all the things in life that have gotten me to this point. I appreciate everything that comes with being a fan of this great man. I’m looking forward to continuing to experience his leadership in whatever direction he takes. Although I’m still processing the true scope and impact his influence has had on my parenting, business development, and how I choose to attack my life. I’m not certain I’ll be able to truly connect those dots until well into the future.
Mostly, I’m excited to turn the page and see what his absence from something I love means for my personal growth.
Thank you Tom, for everything.
