There was an interesting documentary on the New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady, called The Brady 6. What made it interesting was the analysis of the six quarterbacks drafted above Tom Brady in his draft year and what happened to them. As you may know, Tom Brady has been the league MVP, won the Super Bowl three times so far, passed for the most touchdowns in one season, and almost led his team to a perfect season. He was viewed as too slow, too small, could not throw a perfect spiral, and coming out of college was viewed with suspicion because his college coach at Michigan alternated him and a younger quarterback early in the year his senior season. Brady had to bail out the coach for this decision on more than one occasion that year. Despite being a winner throughout his career, Brady was not drafted until the sixth round. The rest, as they say, is history.

What the experts missed, according to one football expert, was they did not look at Brady’s “heart.” They missed his ability to deliver under pressure. They missed his personal self-talk that said, “I need to win my position every day in practice.” These are intangibles, so to speak, in the area of the psychology of performance. Brady plays every day as if he might be cut. He embodies the belief that “you are as good as today’s hunt.” How many businesses and employees are coasting, getting by without getting better each day?

Remember, where your mind goes the energy goes. I hope you make the most out of today’s hunt. I intend to.

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist