Career Decision-Making Tips from a G.O.A.T.

Full disclosure here. After more than 10 years living less than 30 minutes away from Gillette Stadium, I am a Tom Brady fan. And better yet, he and I are both in Florida now. I know, he's not everyone's G.O.A.T. (Terry Bradshaw) but even if he's not yours, we could all learn something from his most recent career decision.

I read with great interest Tom Brady's recent interview with Howard Stern. I won't bore you with all the details, but here are some key takeaways about how to make great career decisions.

"Where could I really excel and achieve and bring my best out?"

Although many have speculated that Brady left the Patriots after 20 seasons for the money or because of conflicts with his boss, his reason was the same as most job changers, opportunity. There are several great takeaways. First, leave when you are still doing your job very well. You will feel highly confident and you'll be very competitive in the marketplace. Secondly, leave before other challenges arise. By most accounts, Brady left on good terms. He definitely doesn't need references like most of us do, but reputation does matter. And for most of us, employers will ask why you're leaving your job. Saying that you're seeking new challenges is a great answer. All that being said, you should also explore potential opportunities with your current employer. You might be surprised at what could result, especially if you are prepared to leave. What do you have to lose?

” … I wrote down about 20 different things that were important to me and...prioritized what was important.”

Brady also talked about considering a multitude of factors in his decision. Too often we focus too much on one aspect or only on what we're leaving, without considering all of the things that are important to us. He considered 20 factors and then he prioritized these factors to be sure his choice matched his needs. Both of these steps are critical to ensuring an effective decision rather than an impulsive one.

“In the end...being close to him (his son, Jack) ended up being really important.”

Our final lesson from this interview is probably the most important. The fact is that the people in our lives matter. Careers don't happen in a vacuum. In this case, Brady prioritized the proximity to his son from a prior relationship as one of the most important factors to him. In the interview, he also discussed changes he made to his work with the Patriots to ensure that he was more present for his family. We should examine and clarify our personal values, as well as our work preferences, when making any major career decision. We are happier when our personal and professional lives are well aligned.

I hope that some of this resonates with you and your career decision-making. Applying these principles may not make you the greatest of all time, but they will make it more likely to make more satisfying decisions for the foreseeable future.