Summary

The article draws parallels between the success of Tom Brady in football and the mindset required for writers to excel in their craft, emphasizing the importance of self-assessment, adaptation, and effective time management.

Abstract

The article uses Tom Brady's illustrious football career as a metaphor for the dedication and personal development necessary to achieve greatness in writing. Despite being an underdog draft pick, Brady's commitment to self-improvement and his ability to adapt led him to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in history. Similarly, writers are encouraged to conduct thorough self-assessments to identify their strengths and weaknesses, adapt their routines, and manage their time effectively. The article suggests that success is not about inherent talent but about the habits one adopts, the ability to evolve with changing circumstances, and the discipline to use time wisely. It also acknowledges that personal and professional growth requires continuous reassessment, much like an annual health checkup, to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Opinions

Success in writing, much like in sports, is largely determined by mental fortitude and the adoption of productive habits.
Everyone has equal opportunities, but only those who optimize their routines and time management achieve significant success.
Self-assessment is crucial for identifying personal strengths and weaknesses, and for making necessary adjustments to one's approach to work.
Continuous learning and adaptation are essential, as personal capabilities and external circumstances are subject to change.
The success stories of individuals like Tom Brady serve as inspiration for writers and entrepreneurs to pursue their goals relentlessly.
The article emphasizes that success is not predetermined but is the result of one's own story, shaped by daily actions and decisions.
It is important to embrace change and new ways of doing business, especially in the post-COVID world, rather than longing for the past.

The Hard Truth Why You Need to be Like Tom Brady as a Writer

Playing sports is just like writing when you do this.

All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round of the NFL draft as the 199th pick. Normally, if you’re drafted that late, you’re not expected to be a professional football player for that long.

Yet, somehow, Tom Brady blew away that belief. In fact, he blew away anyone’s expectations except his own.

You see, Brady retired after 23 years of playing football, and he goes out as one of the most recognized quarterbacks to play the game. Some even call him the GOAT, Greatest Of All Time, because of what he accomplished playing football for the past two-plus decades.

Brady is up there along with other GOATs

Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Tiger Woods
Venus and Serena Williams

And many others. It is rare to have your name up there along with some of the great sports players of all time.

Tom Brady played for 23 seasons, won seven Super Bowls, and was named MVP five times.

This is not an article on Tom Brady, but it’s to give you an idea of where you need to go as a writer, entrepreneur, or anything you truly desire.

Brady wasn’t anything special. But he observed and made changes to what he needed to do and succeed as a player.

A lot of things in life are mental and the habits you adopt.

Everyone has the same opportunities, but only a few people end up being successful.

It all comes down to your routine.

If you want to be the GOAT in your field, then look at yourself. You need to do a self-assessment of yourself.

identify your strengths
identify your weaknesses
when are you most active during the day?
do you waste time playing video games or watching Netflix?
do you need to take a course to improve on an area you’re weak?

All of these are simple questions, but your answers tell your story.

Sometimes, it may just be a few minutes here or there. But those minutes are precious, and you don’t want to waste them. Time is one thing we all have, and it comes down to how you use your time.

It doesn’t matter how J. K. Rowling worked hard to become successful. It all comes down to your story.

Your story determines how successful you’ll be.
Your story tells you how far you’ll go with your skills and knowledge
Your story tells if you’ll be successful or not.

These are some hard truths you have to look at and examine.

If you look at Tom Brady as he got older, his arm strength wasn’t like it was in his 20s. So he had to adapt.

The same can be said for you.

Your body changes.

Your knowledge changes.

Maybe, even the time you have changes.

You need to do a complete assessment of yourself. In fact, you need to do the assessment more often than you think. It’s almost like an annual doctor’s exam.

As you change, the world around you changes.

Maybe you need to take more classes to catch up on some new knowledge that has evolved over the past few years.

Maybe you need to spend more time reading.

With the internet, there are so many things you can do with your phone and the comfort of your home. COVID changed how business is done today.

You need to embrace it. Hoping life reverts back to 2019 is history. You won’t see a day like that ever again.

It was only three years ago, but so much has changed in that short timeframe.

It all comes down to where you want to take your writing career.