Ray Dalio & Bill Belichick on Tough Love: Part 2

Sometimes I think in a, uh, non-sports environment, nonathletic environment, the people who come in might not react as well to that as in a sports environment. Because necessity makes it clear, and you do it. Sometimes it's more challenging than that when you deal with a weakness.

I'll give you an example. We had a case where we rate all the different people and for a lot of statistics and so on, and these are your baseball cards. These are baseball cards, right? And then we have a list, and somebody's last on the list. Okay, some people can go through that, and some people can't go through that. But it's okay—here are your points, and that's what it is.

And what do you do to get better? You always want to help people. So it takes a certain kind of person in our environment to say, "Okay, that's where I am on the list, and what do I do about it?" And it's not so easy sometimes. I suspect it's more straightforward in your game. Do you think I...?

Well, I do. I think the good thing is to be on the list, to be part of the New England Patriots. I've been last on the list before. Um, and you either find ways to create more value for yourself on the team and in the organization, or they replace you.

So I think all of us—most all of us—have been last on the list at some point in time. Um, but yeah, again, to me, the important thing is, you know, making a commitment to get better. And so, you know, is it hard to admit your weaknesses? Yes. But again, if you don't address them, your opponents will. That's right.