Rule: Love the Game

Rule Maker: Tom Brady

Learn More About the Rule: Tom Brady Interview

I once heard it said, “Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life.” For the past 20 years I have been trying desperately to find that work which was in fact not work at all. What I have come to realize is I do a really poor job at those tasks which I do not enjoy. Sure, I can get by. I can even make it look like I enjoy it. However, truth be told if I don’t enjoy it, I’m not very good.

Such was the case when I was in high school playing football. I hated every second on the field. I would watch the scoreboard as the seconds ticked off anxiously waiting for the game to end. Did I mention I was an all state football player? Did I mention I went to college on a full ride football scholarship? I know it’s crazy right? I’ll never forget the perplexed look on my football coach’s face when I revealed this truth to him. He was dumbfounded.

“How do you play with such intensity,” he asked? “Well, I’m not going to embarrass myself,” I replied. Eventually, I would give up my scholarship and work my way through undergrad. I could only fake it for so long.

When I look back on those days I wonder how much better I could have been if only I enjoyed the game. Further, I wonder what I could have achieved had I put all my heart and attention into the game I really loved which was baseball. I guess I will never know because as a teenager I didn’t understand the leverage enjoying what you do gives you. It’s not always in sports either.

While watching an interview of Tom Brady before the most recent Super Bowl Brady was asked about his success and his longevity. How does he do it? His first answer was so simple and seemingly obvious, “I love the game.” It’s worth noting this is the exact same answer you will hear Bill Belichick give when asked about his own success as an NFL coach. Both of these peak performers who have entered the strata of legend truly love what they do.

When we are performing tasks we enjoy it’s almost like hitting a baseball right in the sweet spot. When this happens the force of the bat striking the ball is almost unnoticed. You don’t even feel it. It’s the same when we are performing tasks we enjoy. Long hours don’t matter. Miles of travel don’t frustrate us. A slammed schedule is welcome. When we are locked in the flow of what we were truly called to do it’s almost as though money, time, energy, or whatever resource we need, is optimally available. If it’s not we’ll find it. We’ll make sure we have the resources we need to keep going because we are doing what we love.

Another example of loving the game is the rock group Metallica. I remember watching a VH-1 episode of Behind The Music about the group. One of the things that stuck out the most was drummer and band founder Lars Urlich talking about the band being so broke they only had white bread to eat with nothing to put between the slices. They called it a “hand sandwich.” At last check while writing this blog Lars now has an estimated net worth of around $200MM. It was never about the money. It was about pursuing his passion to make incredible music.

Another shining example is my favorite comedian of all time, Jerry Seinfeld. I remember when Katie Couric interviewed him during the last season of the show. She expressed her shock that Jerry would walk away from NBC’s offer of $5MM per episode to do another season. Jerry’s response says everything about his love of what he does. “Why do I need more money? All I ever wanted to do was make enough to do comedy for a living, and I was doing that way before the show.”

He goes on to talk about how true success in contentment, and he believes that’s what most people miss. I firmly believe when you are passionate about your life, your home, your family whatever activity occupies your time you are much more likely to be good at it as well as content.

So much of the “stuff” we seek to acquire becomes of little to no value when we are pursuing wholeheartedly that which we were put on this earth to do. We are so consumed by the work we don’t even care about what else is going on with the proverbial Jones's or any other material rich other. Oh, and if you’re passion is something crazy and unconventional, don’t be afraid to do it! When I decided to write and speak I told my youngest daughter I felt like I was telling people I was joining the circus. It’s not a real job. Who cares? Do it! Put blinders on and go.

This is why I write. This is why I speak. This is why I have always been a community servant. I’m constantly trying to find those things which I love doing. Would I like to monetize my writing? Absolutely I would. However, the pursuit is not for wealth. The pursuit is for the ability to make it a full-time endeavor allowing me to constantly do what I love. Never has there been a better time to find what you love, do it and get paid for it. Social media allows for this like never before. You don’t have to struggle for 20 years hoping to get noticed. You can just put yourself out there and get noticed, and I assure you there are others out there with your interests waiting to hear another voice.

Make a rule for yourself to love the game.

You rule!

Jason