Tom Brady Has No Finish Line

One of Nike’s earliest advertising campaigns, “There is no finish line,” debuted in 1977. It featured a man running down a hilly path along an empty road with beautiful trees on each side. The view was a classic example of the wonderful Oregon trails surrounding the Nike Campus. The last line of the ad copy emphasizes the overall message of the ad and Nike’s vision of inspiration and innovation. The last line reads, “Beating the competition is relatively easy. But beating yourself is a never-ending commitment.”

It would only be fitting that Bucs quarterback Tom Brady was born in the same year as the Nike ad campaign made its national debut and the slogan caught fire. Brady, who retired 43 days ago, un-retired on Saturday because in Brady's words, he "had some unfinished business to attend to." What could there be for Brady to tidy up after winning seven Super Bowls and destroying father time? For most of us, we would have no understanding of what is left undone by Brady. For Brady, there is never a finish line.

Besides buying their new shoe, Nike was trying to teach us all a lesson in self-leadership. Nike wanted us all to understand the level of commitment required to maximize our skills. The ability to reach this level of commitment requires an elevated sense of consciousness. Once you find that place “there is no finish line.” You are addicted to the process, from start to finish. The end result is simply a marker to beat the next time you take on a new challenge in work, or in your personal life. Those 43 days away from the process forced Brady to reconsider his decision. It would be safe to assume Brady is meticulous with his decision-making process, therefore his retirement wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea. He gave it great thought, before rendering a verdict. What he didn't realize is the addiction he holds for his craft far outweighs anything. This is why he doesn't understand the finish line.

In theory, Nike educated us on this level of commitment, and in reality, Brady has given us the practical ways of removing the finish line. We can all improve our self-leadership if we forget about the finish and become dedicated to the process.

It is finally time to make the switch from cable and watch all of your favorite games at home or on the go.

Stream LIVE college basketball, NBA, NHL, NFL and more on any device.

With no-hassle setup and no hidden fees, you get the best movies, shows, and sports along with 75+ live TV channels.

Get HULU + LIVE TV, now with Disney+ and ESPN+, so you can stream every episode of Man In The Arena: Tom Brady or never miss a minute of college hoops action this month, at home or on the go!