‘I’m the best decision this organization ever made,’ said quarterback Tom Brady in an early conversation with Bob Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots. Brady joined the team in 2000 as the 199th 6th round pick. Team talk usually misses me. I write this only after someone explained to me the meaning of a ‘sixth round’ pick. 199th?
How could someone who had 198 other players chosen before him go on to be one of the best players in the sport? Said another way, how could someone who wasn’t so well thought of by those ‘in-the-know’ achieve such greatness?
Ever wonder about the role of other’s opinions during transition? Do you think Tom Brady cared about his pick rank? His status?
I remember sitting in the living room of a former graduate school roommate one Saturday afternoon. I had just come from one of the most important meetings of my life at the august New York Yacht Club.
I was meeting with the owners of a company that I offered to purchase. My then dream was to buy and grow a low tech manufacturing business. The beauty was that I had actually sourced a company, done the due diligence and put an offer on the table. There were some details, like how I was to pay for this, that remained vague. What barriers? What a morning!
My grad school buddies were surprised about what had brought me to NYC that day. Suffice it to say that we didn’t focus our afternoon’s discussion on how to get my deal done. Their advice was something else entirely. Were they reacting to the financial stability, or lack thereof, of the deal? Or was it disbelief that I could actually pull off such a thing? Or was it about them somehow?
I recalled this conversation driving home last evening after an awesome meeting with seven women on the topic of transition. At one point in the conversation we discussed the reactions of those around us during transition. One women offered (I’m paraphrasing), ‘Many people want to give advice. But you really need to watch out. Is it really about them? (When in transition) we are some sort of mirror for what is going on about them.’
The group concluded that we need to be choosy about those we let close during transition. Would it surprise you that my NYC Saturday afternoon buddies aren’t on the roster?
Tom Brady states that he cared deeply about his pick status. But he didn’t allow other’s opinions to mute his dream. He wanted to be the best. He put his head down. He reached. Beyond the stars….
I hope that when you look back on 2013 your decision to reach falls into the ‘best decision you ever made’ category. Unfettered. Boundaryless. Reach. Who knows maybe it will also be accompanied by a super model to join your advisor team….
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NovoFemina 
Great article as always! This topic reminds me of a metaphor one of my colleagues recently shared with me about the “crab trap.” In parts of the mid-Atlantic where they fish for blue crabs, they don’t have to worry about putting lids on the buckets because if one crab tries to escape, the others will grab and pull it back back down. Your NYC afternoon buddies reminded me of this. Note to self, stay clear of blue crab traps!
KMc..love the image of the blue crab traps. Sounds so simple. Is it only me that struggles seeing this?
This is a timely read for me after recently experiencing some intentional actions by people to break contact with me during my transition that have left me wondering why. The blue crab metaphor – just wow. I keep reminding myself of Don Miguel Ruiz’ book, The Four Agreements. Numbers 1 and 2 are “don’t take things personally” and “don’t make assumptions.” So I am trying hard to stick with that.