The bonds forged in the crucible of football—bonds we’ve explored throughout the OlineSkills.com journey… continue to fascinate me for their remarkable durability and depth. Last week’s metaphor of the multi-stranded rope illustrated perfectly why teammates bound by shared sacrifice become collectively stronger than any individual could be alone.
In response to recent blogs about teammates and relationships, a close friend forwarded me the following which is attributed to Tom Brady, and was excerpted from The Farnam Street (https://fs.blog/), Newsletter called, “Brain Food”:
Tom Brady (lightly edited) on how the right people in your life double the pleasure and divide the pain:
“Things happen in life that you don’t want to happen—whether you lose a game, things don’t go well at work, or something happens with your child. Many moments in our personal and professional lives don’t go the way we want. How do you deal with them? Do you handle them with class and integrity, with courage and resilience? Are you able to share your emotions with others?
Do you have people in your life who can help you through those challenges? I’m blessed to have had people walk through those moments with me. They always say, “Double the pleasure and divide the pain,” and that’s what relationships are all about. When you care for and love those around you, they give back—and that’s where the reward comes.”
I think “double the pleasure and divide the pain,” captures perfectly what I’ve experienced throughout my football journey but never articulated so well. Those shared victories (on and off the field) with teammates have indeed soared higher in celebration, while defeats and personal struggles diminished in weight when carried by many hands. This is one of the true gifts of this game; such bonds, extend far beyond the field and locker room. My wish is this lesson resonates with our players, staff, and readers alike, as they cultivate the bonds I genuinely hope will sustain them through life’s inevitable triumphs and tribulations.
Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!
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