From Legend to Rookie: Tom Brady and Your Career Move

Imagine you’ve been in your job for 20 years, and you are an absolute legend in your field.

Then, you decide to do something else that’s very different.

And your first assignment is far from the perfection you’re used to.

Now what?

That’s where Tom Brady found himself recently.

Like you, he changed careers, from playing football to broadcasting football. And maybe like him, you stumbled a bit coming out of the gate.

How can you handle the inevitable stumble in a new career?

Remember that nobody gets it right the first time out. And that’s ok. Riding a bike, tying our shoes, starting a new job—it’s always a little choppy in the beginning.

Even as Brady’s on-field reputation precedes him, he’s a beginner in the broadcast booth. His delivery, cadence and acumen have to be sharpened over time, the same way his football skills were honed on the field.

Expecting him to be an award-winning broadcaster in his first game was asking way too much. And your new company asking you to solve its biggest issues in your first week is a bridge too far.

Brady, and his critics, have to manage expectations, and so do your new bosses—and yourself. Grace in a new environment is a key element to success in any endeavor.

I’m pretty sure that Brady believes he’ll be just as great a broadcaster as he was a quarterback. And when you are moving to your new work, you’ll believe that you’ll be as great there as you were in your old career.

Also, you’re likely to have one advantage over Brady. The sports world isn’t breaking down your every word, ready to pounce on every mistake you may make, and post it to social media.

Here is what I want you to know about Brady’s new adventure, and you:

Career change isn’t easy—Brady is transitioning from being at the top of his profession to being a newbie. Even with the hours of practice broadcasts he did over the summer, it’s still not the same as actually being in front of a live audience.
Your first few days (or weeks or months) in your new position are going to be difficult. There’s no real way around that. Few of us get it right the first time. Yet, when you are committed to our new career, you are willing to face the stumbles that inevitably occur.
This can be especially difficult to handle if you’ve been you’ve held a high position, or you’ve been at a top company. You’ve been used to being treated and seen in a certain way. And now, you’re in a new job, trying to find the coffeemaker.

Career change is exciting—Tom Brady is in a completely different field, one that is calling forth new abilities and new skills in him. Rather than calling plays and executing them, he’s now describing those plays and how they work. His experience will give fans a unique perspective.
Your unique perspective comes with you in your new career. You have insights, wisdom and knowledge that companies are yearning to tap into. What’s exciting is that you get to share them in a new arena with a willing audience.
And, you will be picking up new skills and abilities along the way, building up your reputation and becoming a trusted resource. Just like the broadcaster Fox is leaning on Brady to help the company, you will be in the same position as well.

Career change is possible—Pro athletes retire twice—the first time, from the sport they once played. If anyone knows about career change, it’s them. And the best of them start thinking about broadcasting, or real estate, or investing, long before hanging up their cleats.
Like them, setting yourself up for success is important. Athletes like Serena Williams began forming companies while still in their prime. Brady called practice games to get ready. Where are the opportunities for you to practice in your dream work? What professional organizations are you in touch with?
Importantly, who are you talking with about your dreams and aspirations? We can think and daydream and journal about moving to different work. But saying to someone, “Hey, I’m thinking about changing my job—what do you think?” starts putting intention into your thought. Having support around you as you consider this move makes the move less daunting than if you were to try on your own.

In Brady’s next time broadcasting a game, the reviews were better for him. Again, no one gets it right out of the gate, and it's interesting how his critics seem to forget this..

I'm sure Brady spent the week reviewing the game video, taking notes, and using those to prepare for the next week's broadcast. Just like he used to do for 20 seasons as a football player.

He surely applied ideas honed in film rooms as a quarterback to improve as a broadcaster. In moving from the field to the broadcasting booth, he didn’t leave certain skills behind.

When you move from one career to another, your skills come along with you, too. And those skills help make the transition smoother, even in the early days when you can’t find the office coffeemaker.

It will take a certain amount of time to get the transition to another career right. When it begins to go in the right direction for you, you get to have the peace of mind that comes with finding the work that works for you.

Are you weighing a career transition? Let me know in the comments how you expect it to go.

I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified health and career coach specializing in helping mid-stage professionals gain clarity on their career journey. I’ve written a guide on how to escape the work hamster wheel.

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