In regard to constructing elegant proofs, one of my mathematics professors says, “It is important to know what to skip.” I write this because it is not necessary for me to statistically analyze Peyton Manning’s career in order to prove his greatness. This has been done time and time again, and it is virtually fact that he is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. However, I did want to offer a quick thought on a recent, atypical, Peyton Manning interview, in which The MMQB’s Peter King tried to ask the oft-interviewed Manning ten questions he had never answered before.

In particular, I thought Manning’s response to King’s question regarding what advice he would give to young NFL quarterbacks was terrific. Here is part of it:

‘Don’t ever go to a meeting to watch a practice or a game without having already watched it by yourself.’ That’s one thing that I have always done. When the coach is controlling the remote control, he’s gonna rewind when he wants to rewind. He’s gonna skip certain plays. He’s not watching every single detail. When you can control the rewind button, you can go in there and you watch—first, you better watch your mechanics. Watch what you’re doing. Is your drop good? How’s your throw? OK, now rewind it again. Now you better watch your receivers. OK, looks like Demaryius Thomas ran a good route here. Not sure what Julius Thomas was doing here. Then you better rewind it again and watch what the defense is doing. So, there’s time in that deal. You have to know what they were doing so you can help them. So that has helped me. When I go in and watch it with the coach, I’m watching it for the third, fourth, fifth time. That’s when you start learning.

The other thing I would tell them: ‘To ever watch film without a pen and paper in your hand is a complete waste of time.’ You do it that way, you’re only watching it, as I call it, to please the coach. If you’re in the QB room and you leave the door open so they can see you in there, don’t. Shut the door. You ought to have the door shut. Whether they know you’re in there or not, they’re gonna know by the way you play out on the field. Don’t go showing off.

I think Manning’s advice can be summed up in a way that makes it applicable to many people, not just NFL quarterbacks. Namely, Manning seems to be getting at the following: ‘Don’t do something—whether it is school work, a research project, or an assignment at a job—just because you are obligated to and your boss , instructor, or coach will be watching; instead, take complete ownership of it and do it to better yourself’. I think that too many times, people (myself certainly included) do things just because it looks good (like Manning says, leaving the door open so the coaches can see you studying or, perhaps, making sure that your boss sees that you came in early). In reality, we (to a certain extent) should not care about the external impression we make when completing a task. I think the best personal growth and outcomes come when we don’t do something for the sake of doing it, but do something with the Manningesque mindset of conquering it, regardless of whether people see us during the process. As Manning says, “Whether they know you’re in there or not, they’re gonna know by the way you play out on the field”.

Afternote: This is Manning when he is not mastering his craft.