Turn Your Routines and Habits Into Obsessions
The life of a backup QB isn’t glamorous, but it requires being the ultimate pro.
Mike Glennon’s official job title is NFL quarterback, but that doesn’t fully convey his unique experience and skill set.
Taken by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 2013 draft, Glennon has had a journeyman’s career as a backup, playing four years in Tampa before going to Chicago, Arizona, Oakland, Jacksonville and New York (Giants). For the 32-year-old free agent, that’s six teams over the past six years, with a seventh likely to come.
That playbook-to-playbook experience has turned Glennon into a highly specialized football interpreter who can execute an array of concepts across different schemes. “It’s like learning a new language every year,” he says. “I’m pretty good at it.”
How is he able to absorb so much and stay locked in?
Here’s his best advice . . .
Don’t Reach for the Snooze Button
You can't work all day, every day, at being a professional quarterback. But you can create a schedule and a routine that you stick to. And if you commit to it, but for whatever reason you don’t feel like sticking to it, then you’ll have a guilty feeling about it. That’s when you know it’s an obsession.
I know what I’m going to do every day because I want to be the best that I can be. That starts with not hitting the snooze on my alarm. When my alarm goes off, I'm getting up. And, of course, there are times when I have hit the snooze or turned it off. But then I’ll lie in bed for like 10 minutes, and I’ll start to get that guilty feeling.
Find a routine and stick to that schedule every day. Make it your obsession. That’s what being a pro is about. It’s not about the money. It's about having a pro mentality, mindset and work ethic. Find something to get better at every single day, whether that’s on the field, in the weight room, running, watching film, spending time in your playbook. There’s always something you can do to improve.
Success Isn’t Always Based on Results
I had envisioned being a starting quarterback for a long time for one team, hopefully winning Super Bowls and all that, but once you get in the league you realize it’s just tough and not really reality. It's not the same game we played as little kids. It’s a business and a job. One could argue that I haven't won a ton of games in the NFL and that means I didn't have a successful career, but I would argue differently. Although I haven’t won a lot of games, I do have a successful career because to play as long as I have is beating the odds. And I've learned a lot about myself along the way. There’s more than one way of having success.
The Quote That Stuck With Me
It was my rookie year. I was in Tampa Bay, and Greg Schiano used to say, “Don’t sacrifice what you really want for what you want right now.” And that has always resonated with me. At times, you might get caught up in the moment and not be willing to put in the work, like you might want to not work out and watch TV instead. But what I really want is to be the best quarterback I can be, so I'm going to put in that extra work. I’m going to watch that extra film, whatever it is.
That line is what made me a pro, and that line has helped me have as long a career as I've had in the NFL, because I'm just someone who goes to work every day. I try to be a pro at everything I do. Being on six different teams over the past six years, that reputation has helped me have as long a career as I've had.
People can rely on me. They know what they're getting in the meeting room, out on the practice field. I pride myself on being consistent every day. The coaches know what they’re getting out of me. My teammates know what they're getting out of me. So, what are your long-term goals? And what should you be doing to obtain them?
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