Hard Choices, Easy Life...Easy Choices, Hard Life
My admiration, respect and love for Tom Brady just continues to grow.
if you want to understand what "Total Performance Living' is all about and what it takes to be the best at your craft whilst also being an incredible human being then there are few better examples.
Even if you are not an NFL fan (or even sports lover for that matter) the man is an absolute inspiration for anyone looking to get the best out of themselves in life.
This is a guy who barely made it to the pro league as a low draft pick and has gone on to shape himself into the most decorated player the game has ever seen. And along the way he has raised a beautiful, loving family and been an incredible contributor to his community and the world.
He is 41 years old and performing better than ever, playing the most demanding position in a brutal game full of people half his age that sees most players chewed up and spat out within a few short years.
Whilst his success has been fueled by a level of determination, discipline, focus and hard work that is immense, it is also his open minded approach to life and willingness to think and behave 'outside the box' that has allowed him to continue performing at an elite level for so long.
He has adopted a variety of training, mindset and lifestyle behaviours that many people think are 'weird' or 'crazy', but in reality have been the difference between him continuing to be elite versus retiring from the game long ago.
In a documentary series ‘Tom Vs Time’ about the 2017-2018 season, one comment struck me here in the first episode when he speaks about 'choices', and that if you say 'yes' to some thing than you inevitably must say 'no' to other things. It is obvious that he is crystal clear on the priorities in his life (Football and Family), and that for something to be a 'yes' for him it needs to be serving one of these two purposes.
This reminds me of another fantastic phrase I love from Jerzy Gregorek, a world champion weightlifter, strength coach and acclaimed writer/poet, who described it perfectly when he said:
““Hard Choices. Easy Life... Easy Choices, Hard Life”
It really is this simple. The life you have is a reflection and collection of the choices you make.
And Tom Brady exemplifies this. His willingness to make 'hard choices' by dedicating his time and energy to only that which serves him and willingness to embrace ideas and behaviours that are unconventional and contradictory to most of his peers and the people he has been surrounded by in his professional life is what has given him the 'easy life' we see from the outside with his fist full of championship rings, multi million dollar homes, supermodel wife and beautiful loving family.
And the best part about all of this...his journey isn't even over yet. As he looks to lead his team into the Super Bowl game yet again, knowing that regardless of the outcome he has built a legacy as an athlete and human being that will live on long after he is gone.
If you are keen to learn more about how you can create a life where you are thriving physically, personally and professionally, I'd love to talk.
Luke