Idea Ripper // ArchiveCards: 1555 [Live] | Updated: 2026-10-14
Card #c1282IR // #c1282Verbatim excerpt
"“Brady, I want you to stop worrying about what all the other players on our team are doing. All you do is worry about what the starter is doing, what the second guy is doing, what everyone else is doing. You don’t worry about what you’re doing.”"

— Source: Trade Outside the Box (Brent Donnelly)

[Use when]

You're frustrated by others getting the opportunities and have stopped working on your own game.

[Why it matters]

Tom Brady wanted to leave Michigan because he barely got practice reps. His coach pointed his attention back to the one thing he controlled. Donnelly uses the story for his Serenity Prayer principle: separate what you can change from what you can't.

Filed under situations:When you’re stuck and running on emptyWhen the team is looking to you to lead

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Same situation, different book

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