Second Act

Tom Brady has a newsletter. 

Initially I signed up out of curiosity. Before you come at me, I need to warn you that I am extremely European and I do not understand the first thing about Super Bowls or what it means to be in the huddle. 

And I am afraid that hasn't changed since I signed up. The newsletter is not truly about American Football at all. It’s more self-helpy than I ever expected.

There is a specific edition that I wanted to share with you for a while already. It talks about obsession. Brady reflects about the notion that when you find your obsession, choices that you were doubting before suddenly become painfully obvious. 

He writes about finding your obsessions (or them finding you!) is one of the big goals in life. In his view, finding your obsession is your personal advantage. It is very hard to outcompete obsession. The level of sacrifices, pain and likely rejection you are willing to go through is higher than someone else with the same aspiration. The risks you are willing to take are higher too. The level of audacity to reach your goal? Probably skyrocketing.

But the important learning and why I want to write about Tom Brady’s newsletter is this quote:

I get that Brady thinks that way. There is an intrinsic expectation that athletes may eventually have a second career. The body keeps score after all. 

But why does it feel like a second act is frowned upon when chosen voluntarily? 

Athletes get pushed out of their obsession by their own body limitations and into a second act. The rest of us non-athletics are free to walk out of the first act and toward our obsession and almost nobody does.

Something is very mixed up.

Obsession is a pull. Often self-development books will convince us to find our passion, that it makes everything easier and more joyful.

But more and more I am thinking that obsession can also be kind of a curse. In my first freelancer year I was painfully navigating the pursuit of finding the work I would truly enjoy. I read the books, bought courses, joined cohorts, analyzed my perfect day, and did the 10 year visualization exercise. Everything pointed toward my obsession to become an author. And that is the opposite of easy and joyful.

Less than 20% of authors manage to support themselves financially from writing alone. But maybe it’s time to start fighting that pull and just try. Give in. It took me losing one income stream next year for me ot admit that. And boy do I wish I had a different obsession that would give me a better chance at financial security.

But even If I have to hunt down every agent on this earth until one gives me a second look, I think I might be just obsessed enough to do it. 

How do you feel about your obsession? Is it a blessing? Is it a curse? Or are you still looking?

Here is the original letter if so: Find your obsession.

Keep up the audacity,

Laura