Do your job.

Three simple words and one of my favorite quotes, via Bill Belichick. The quote is perfect in itself but also perfectly Belichickian in that it defines the culture that the Patriots coach has created. In the era of NFL free agency and the salary cap the Patriots dominance is remarkable. With the exception of QB Tom Brady the Patriots roster has turned over again and again yet they’re still making Super Bowl runs more than fifteen-years later.

Do your job.

I’m not a fan of the Pats but have a begrudging respect based on the success of the team. Any organization that achieves what the Patriots have during the Brady/Belichick era should command respect. My biggest takeaway from Belichick isn’t his remarkable ability to out scheme his opponents with unseen wrinkles, but his simple motto.

Do your job.

It’s not about the title you carry or your occupation. The idea of “doing your job” extends beyond what you do at work. It’s as simple as taking care of the tasks that need to be completed at home, being a good parent, or getting the oil changed in your car when it’s due. We all have “jobs” that we need to get done on a daily basis, many basic, others complex.

Doing your job is about taking pride in the simplicity of the completed task.

War has long been a fascinating subject that helps us better understand decision-making and human nature. The life and death struggle of the battlefield is a microcosm of the daily battles we all fight in our personal and professional lives. Like life war is intensely complex and there are real lessons in the brilliance of great generals like Hannibal or Rommel. These lessons are not only important for future military leaders to study but have application in our daily lives.

One such lesson, brilliantly outlined in the Robert Greene book 33 Strategies of War is the idea of strategy over tactics. To understand the difference and how improved strategy can make us better husbands, fathers and knowledge workers you have to understand the difference between tactic and strategy. Tactics are the actual means used to gain an objective, while strategy is the overall campaign plan, which may involve complex operational patterns, activity, and decision-making that govern tactical execution. In short, the former is just one part of the latter.

Do Your Job: Stoic Lessons from Belichick and McVay

Be a Strategist, not a Tactician: Important Lessons from Robert Greene and Bill Belichick