Watching the post-game interview with Rob Gronkowski reminded me of some career advice I received ten years ago, which I believe has served me well ever since.

Never make a decision regarding super important things like your career during emotionally charged times – right after a win, right after a loss, or near the beginning / end of a quarter.

As human beings, we make decisions using our emotion / feeling center in our brain, and use logic only to justify those decisions.

Gronk, who’s rumored to be considering retirement, was asked right after he had JUST WON THE SUPER BOWL if he’d made a decision. He responded by saying that he’s going to celebrate, then make a decision when things calm down in a few weeks. That’s the right answer.

For me, I carve out time the middle of every quarter (so, February 15th is next) and determine whether I’m on the right track or not. Every quarter. When my answer is “yes”, and I feel like I’m on the right track, I become empowered and focused – empowered to be “all in” on what I’m doing, and “focused” by not being in a constant state of “maybe”.

Bottom line – be aware of your emotional state when making big decisions. You’ll find you’re making better decisions – leading to improved focus & less regret.