I'm dizzy. It doesn't make sense. Brett Favre-a future hall of fame QB is known for his grit and self assurance. But words like indecisive, waffling and unsure have described the sports star. On the field he has a swagger-off the field he goes wobbly-what's happening to this legend? He cannot say goodbye to the game he has come to know and love. He is stuck in a revolving retirement door.
It started last year when he retired from the Green Bay Packers-then came out of retirement to play for the New York Jets. At the end of this season he told us "this was it." He's retiring for sure. And we believed him. But guess what? Brett has been in contact with the Minnesota Vikings considering a return to the football field-it's getting weird. What keeps him from moving on?
I can't get into Brett's head and the answer is a combination of factors. I'm guessing it could be fear and a belief he is losing his purpose that nurtures his ambivalence. Fear and Purpose are two powerful forces. But there is another force-something just as powerful and that is the cultural phenomenon of being a Superstar.
Being a Superstar is intoxicating-there is the spotlight and the adoring fans, but this creates an illusion-a fantasy. And like any illusion it can disappear just as fast it was created. The band Bad Company wrote a song about this phenomenon called "Shooting Star" the chorus of the song explains its fickle nature:
Don't you know that you are a shooting star
And all the world will love you just as long
As long as you are
Sport Stars and Celebrities are not the only ones idolized. Because of our cultures tendency to exalt celebrities, anyone who has a public stage can be assigned superstar status.
The politician is idolized by the voter.
The evangelist is idolized the faithful.
The professor is idolized by the student.
The gang banger is idolized by the neighborhood.
Many high profile people never buy into the superstar illusion. They are grateful and humble for the position they have achieved and I believe Brett Favre is in this group. However being on the public stage can make you vulnerable to 4 superstar traps I list below:
- Believe the hype
- Crave the Approval
- Finding Significance in the Wrong Place
- Fear of Failure
I will discuss these traps in detail next post…
Addendum: We need heroes and Brett Favre has always been a stand up guy. He also is a great football player. Part of me understands Brett's ambivalence. It reminds me of Michael Jordan's attempt to play when he should have left graciously. He looked old and tired. In their prime MJ and Brett were great but there comes a time when the greats have to exit and have their memories live on.
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