Stress Is the Price of Greatness #43

Tom Brady recently responded to critics who suggested his leadership style “stressed out” his teammates. His reply?

“I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings. This wasn’t daycare. If I wanted to have fun, I was going to go to Disneyland with my kids.”

It’s partially true. Stress is part of the game of course, and it’s not supposed to be easy. But here’s the thing—we don’t need to choose between going for the Super Bowl and having fun.

The key is to embrace the stress and find joy in the process. This isn’t superficial joy—it’s eudaimonic joy, the kind of deep satisfaction that comes from giving your all to something meaningful.

The Science Behind It

Stress isn’t inherently bad. What matters is how we interpret it:

1. Challenge Response: Stress signals an opportunity to rise to the occasion. Your body and mind engage, and you feel energized and focused.

2. Threat Response: Stress feels overwhelming. You tighten up, your focus narrows, and you shut down.

The difference? Mindset. When we see stress as a challenge rather than a threat, it fuels growth. When we see it as a threat, it drains us.

The Heroic Elite Mindset

At Heroic, we teach that stress is the price of admission for greatness. Embrace it. Love it. Thrive on it.

Winning obviously isn’t supposed to be easy—but it can still be joyful when you reframe pressure as an opportunity to forge your best self.

As Brady reminds us, “It’s not daycare.” But if you lean in, trust the process, and bring eudaimonic joy to the journey, you can aim for the Super Bowl AND have fun doing it.

Action Step

The next time stress creeps in, pause and ask yourself:

• Am I seeing this as a threat or a challenge?
• How can I turn this moment into fuel for growth?

Life isn’t a dress rehearsal. Let’s go.

P.S. For more on this, check out the Philosopher’s Notes on:

• The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal
• Relentless by Tim Grover