Wisdom of Tom Brady

“Make the best play possible based on the circumstances of the play.”

Tom Brady said this on WEEI the other morning. Instantaneously, this simple, compact metaphor began to inflate within my consciousness. Tom’s recipe for success means SO MANY THINGS!

Don’t waste energy over things you can’t change.

Focus upon the cards that you have been dealt.

Look at what you have, not what you are missing.

Don’t blame others for your outcome.

Don’t obsess. Go with the flow.

And most importantly:

Satisfaction comes from the effort, not the result.

If you do your best, you can be happy.

If you don’t do your best, you can STILL choose to be happy.

If you leave “the play” to “forces beyond your control,”
simply realize that you are doing this and:

“Make the best play possible
based on the circumstances of the play.”

This game is about you,
and how you deal with
what you perceive
you’ve been given.

If pointing fingers is not helping you;
if throwing up your hands is not helping you;
if stressing over your situation is not helping you,
STOP DOING IT.

You get whatever you direct your energy towards.
Including your own misery.

Why waste your energy
if it contributes to a situation
that you don’t like?

Why waste your energy
if it contributes to a situation
that you can’t change?

When you give your energy away in this manner,
it strengthens whatever it is that you oppose or dislike.

Control your energy and you control your emotions.

Control your emotions and you control your happiness.

It’s that simple. But only if you choose it to be simple.

“Make the best play possible
based on the circumstances of the play.”

If you believe that life is more complicated than that, it is because you are directing your energy towards things that aren’t there.

Or things that weren’t there until you gave over your energy to them.

This is why Tom Brady is such a great quarterback.

Tom controls his thinking,
which controls his energy,
which controls his reality.

“Make the best play possible
based on the circumstances of the play.”

Look at where it got Tom Brady. Not surprisingly, the only thing that isn’t inflated is his ego.

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Space Monkey Reflects: The Wisdom of Tom Brady

Tom Brady’s advice is simple, yet it holds profound wisdom for anyone navigating the game of life: “Make the best play possible based on the circumstances of the play.” At first glance, it’s a practical bit of sports strategy—an athlete making the most of the moment. But dig deeper, and you’ll see how this principle can transform how we approach challenges, decisions, and even our own self-perception.

This is more than a recipe for success; it’s a way to live with presence and purpose, no matter the circumstances. In essence, Brady’s approach is about recognizing the power we hold over our choices, energy, and attitudes. It’s a reminder to focus on what you have, rather than lamenting what you don’t. When you commit to making the best play in each moment, you move away from dwelling on the past or stressing over an uncertain future. Instead, you bring your attention to the here and now, responding to whatever is directly in front of you.

Don’t waste energy over things you can’t change. This is central to Brady’s philosophy. When we focus on regrets or “what ifs,” we surrender our energy to situations beyond our control. This doesn’t just drain us; it strengthens the very things we oppose or dislike. The more energy we feed into what we cannot change, the more these things seem to grow in our minds, overshadowing our ability to act with clarity and intention. By choosing not to give power to these thoughts, we reclaim our focus, enabling us to make the best decisions possible based on the actual circumstances.

Look at what you have, not what you are missing. Brady’s approach encourages us to work with the cards we’re dealt rather than obsess over the ones we wish we had. By directing our energy toward what is available, we open ourselves to new possibilities, new plays, new perspectives. The momentum of focus shifts from scarcity to abundance, allowing us to see opportunities we might otherwise overlook.

Perhaps the most profound aspect of Brady’s philosophy is the idea that satisfaction comes from the effort, not the result. In life, as in sports, we can’t always control the outcome. But we can control the effort we put into each play, each interaction, each moment. Satisfaction becomes something internal, something based on our personal best, rather than a metric set by external standards. And even if we fall short, we can still find contentment in knowing we gave our all.

You get whatever you direct your energy towards. This is both empowering and cautionary. If we pour our energy into blaming others, obsessing over setbacks, or stressing over things beyond our control, we amplify these feelings within ourselves. But if we direct our energy towards what we can change—our actions, our responses, our attitude—we cultivate resilience and clarity. In a way, Brady’s wisdom is about recognizing that energy is currency; it’s something we invest, and what we invest in grows.

Control your energy, and you control your emotions. Control your emotions, and you control your happiness. Happiness, Brady suggests, isn’t something that happens to us; it’s something we create through the choices we make, moment by moment. By focusing on what we can control and letting go of the rest, we simplify our inner landscape. Life becomes less complicated, but only if we choose to see it that way.

In the end, Brady’s wisdom isn’t about denying life’s challenges. It’s about responding to them wisely. It’s about understanding that we can direct our energy towards growth and positivity, even when circumstances are less than ideal. This doesn’t mean ignoring what’s difficult; it means not allowing the difficult to dictate our lives. Make the best play possible—it’s advice that acknowledges both our power and our limitations, guiding us to take responsibility for our lives in the most practical, grounded way.

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Summary

Tom Brady’s advice, “Make the best play possible based on the circumstances of the play,” is a philosophy for life. By focusing on what we can control and directing our energy wisely, we find satisfaction in our efforts rather than the outcome. This approach reminds us that happiness is within our control, shaped by where we place our focus.

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Glossarium

• Moment of Focus: The intentional direction of energy towards what is present and possible, rather than dwelling on what is missing.
• Energy Currency: The idea that energy is an investment, amplifying whatever we direct it toward, whether positive or negative.
• Responding Wisely: The ability to face challenges by focusing on controllable actions and attitudes, rather than reacting out of frustration or fear.

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Quote

“Satisfaction comes from the effort, not the result. When you focus on making the best play, happiness becomes a choice, not an outcome.” — Space Monkey

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The Play Before Me

One play
One moment
A choice before me
Not perfect
Not what I wished for
But here it is

Do I give my energy
To what is not
Or do I move
With what I have

Each step
Is mine to take
In the flow
Of what’s real

Control my play
Control my energy
And happiness
Rises

Fear, Love, Gratitude, Peace

Franklin Delano Roosevelt said “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” You might say that fear is our own worst enemy. Except that there is no enemy — only fear.

Fear is an emotion based on attachment. We fear that we will lose our wealth, our freedom, our lives. But even when we point to unthinkable “wrongs” that have been inflicted upon those we deem less fortunate, the physical eradication of those fears never resolve the recurring cause, which is mental.

When someone behaves in a manner we might judge as “rash,”  there is likely a fear at the root of the behavior. Fear of failure. Fear of damnation. Fear of loss. Fear of retribution. Fear of insignificance.

The actions caused by fears are unspeakable, to be certain. Mainly because we view them through our own unique lenses. Those we view as transgressors also view the world through unique lenses, possibly entirely different than our own.

Most of the time we believe that our view is the “correct” one, and that the “distorted” lens belongs to the other. In fact, we’re certain of it. So we damn the other as an “evil” that must be eradicated at all costs.

We blow people up. We “fight” whatever it is we think is causing us pain. And that’s mildly satisfying for a while. But even when we’re “successful,” the fear remains in our hearts. What if there’s ANOTHER threat? What will we do then?

This sounds obvious, but the only reason that there is conflict in the world is because people don’t trust each other. The only reason we don’t trust each other is that we fear losing what we have. As long as there is mistrust, there will always be fear, there will always be conflict, there will always be violence, there will always be pain.

This would not be the case if were unafraid of losing the things we hold dear. Thing is, all “things” WILL one day disappear, regardless of whether ours is a violent world or a peaceful one. Remember “this, too, shall pass.” Change is an unavoidable law of nature.

So we cling to our stories. Our labors. Our histories. Our accomplishments. We fear their eventual loss. But nothing can stop time.

Time is limited, so we fight that, too. We try to cheat it. We fear the loss of our youthful vitality. We fear the inevitable, even childishly deny it. (Nothing wrong with being a child, by the way.)

I believe that our world is NOT limited, so there is no need to be attached to anything. Indeed, our human time seems scarce, but we are so much more than these meat suits we temporarily inhabit. I believe that what we don’t know is so much more glorious than what we know. It’s infinite.

So my wish for Thanksgiving is simple. To enjoy our special time on this planet without the fear that we perceive as threat, injustice and unfairness. To realize that even our so-called “enemies” are also tormented by fear, albeit different ones.


When we understand fear, we will no longer fear it. We will no longer mistrust. We will no longer fight. And, to quote John Lennon, “the world will live as one.”


Happy holidays and peace to friends all around. May there one day be no walls, no borders, no divisions between us. No fear.

We are Space Monkey.

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Space Monkey Reflects: Fear, Love, Gratitude, and Peace

Fear is often seen as our greatest enemy, but in truth, it is simply an attachment to things we do not wish to lose—our wealth, our freedom, our lives. We fear that these things can be taken from us, but no amount of external protection can ever eliminate the source of this fear, which lies within our minds.

The actions that arise from fear can be drastic, and often, we justify them because we see the world through our unique lens. But so do those we judge as transgressors—they too act from a place of fear, through lenses that are just as unique as ours. Yet, we rarely acknowledge this, instead believing our perspective is the “correct” one.

Fear drives us to fight what we perceive as threats, but even when we are victorious, the fear remains, always ready to manifest in a new form. As long as mistrust exists between people, fear will continue to breed conflict, violence, and pain.

What we must realize is that everything we hold dear will eventually be lost, regardless of whether we live in a violent world or a peaceful one. The impermanence of life is an unavoidable truth, and it is this reality that we struggle against, trying to cling to what we know.

But if we understand that there is nothing to truly lose, that we are more than the temporary forms we inhabit, we can begin to let go of this fear. We can start to see the world from a place of gratitude, appreciating the time we have without clinging to it, and embracing the reality that change is inevitable.

In recognizing this, we begin to love those we once saw as enemies, understanding that they too are driven by the same fears that once controlled us. And from this place of love, peace becomes possible—not just for us, but for all.

We are Space Monkey, and we remind you that when we understand fear, it no longer controls us. It simply dissolves into the background, leaving only love, gratitude, and peace.

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Summary

Fear is rooted in attachment and mistrust. When we let go of the fear of losing what we hold dear, we can see the world with love and gratitude. This understanding leads to peace, not just within ourselves but between all people.

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Glossarium

• Fear of Loss: The underlying fear that drives much of our behavior, rooted in attachment to temporary things.
• Gratitude: A deep appreciation for the present moment, free from attachment or fear of loss.
• Peace: The state of harmony that arises when fear and mistrust are dissolved through understanding and love.

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Quote

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, because once we understand it, fear no longer has power over us.” — Space Monkey

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From Fear to Peace

Fear clings
to what we cannot keep
it clouds our vision
and turns love into battle

But when we understand
that nothing is truly ours
we begin to see
the beauty in letting go

In gratitude
we find peace
and in love
we see each other clearly

We are Space Monkey

Fear, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt aptly noted, is often the only thing we truly have to fear. It’s a paradoxical emotion, rooted in attachment and the dread of loss, whether of wealth, freedom, life, or perceived justice. This emotion shapes our perceptions, actions, and the conflicts that arise in our shared world. We perceive threats through our unique lenses, often convinced that our view is the unequivocal truth, leading to judgments and actions against those we deem as transgressors. Yet, these actions, motivated by fear, rarely resolve the deeper, recurring cause, which is mental, not physical.

Fear: A Root of Conflict

Fear manifests in various forms – fear of failure, damnation, loss, retribution, insignificance. Such fears drive behaviors that we may judge as rash or unjust. This cycle of fear and reaction contributes to the conflicts and violence we witness in the world. It’s a cycle fueled by mistrust, which in turn is born from fear of losing what we have. This perpetual cycle of fear, mistrust, and conflict continues unabated, with each side viewing the other through a lens distorted by their own fears.

The Cycle of Fear and Mistrust

The concept that all things, including our stories, labors, histories, and accomplishments, are transient is challenging to accept. We cling to them, fearing their inevitable loss, yet nothing can halt the march of time. This fear of loss extends to our very existence, as we grapple with the limitations of time and the loss of youthful vitality. It’s a fight against the inevitable, a denial of the natural law of change and the finite nature of our physical existence.

The Transience of All Things

However, there is a perspective that sees our world as limitless, where attachment to the transient is unnecessary. Our human existence, bound by time, is just a fragment of what we are. What lies beyond our current knowledge and existence is potentially infinite and glorious. This view suggests that our fears, particularly those stemming from attachment and the dread of loss, are unfounded in the broader scope of our existence.

Embracing the Infinite

As Thanksgiving approaches, the wish is for a celebration free from the fears that plague us. It’s a call to recognize that even those we view as enemies are driven by their own fears. Understanding and empathizing with this shared human experience of fear could lead to a world without mistrust, conflict, or division. In such a world, as John Lennon envisioned, we could live as one, without walls, borders, or divisions driven by fear.

Thanksgiving Wish: A World Without Fear

We see that fear, a deep-seated emotion based on attachment, shapes our worldviews and actions, often leading to conflict and mistrust. This cycle persists because of our inability to accept the transient nature of all things, including our existence. However, embracing a perspective of limitlessness and understanding the universality of fear can lead us towards a world united, free from conflict and division. This Thanksgiving, let us aspire to live without the shadows of fear, recognizing our shared experiences and the infinite beyond our current understanding.

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“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.” – Aung San Suu Kyi

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In the glimmering dusk,
We gather, hand in hand,
Around the whimsical fires of hope.
Our hearts, once heavy with dread,
Now dance, light as feathers,
In the boundless sky of unity.

Here, in the embrace of the infinite,
Fear dissolves like mist in morning sun.
No more walls to divide,
No more shadows of mistrust,
Only the pure, unbridled joy
Of souls united in the eternal now.

We are but travelers,
In this grand cosmic play,
Our fears, mere illusions,
In the vast expanse of being.
Together, we soar,
Beyond the realm of fear,
Into the heart of oneness,
Where peace reigns supreme.

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We invite thoughts and reflections on this journey through the realms of fear and unity.