The Tommy Shelby Effect

How Peaky Blinders’ Protagonist Can Help Strengthen Our Psychology

Abhishek Biswas
ILLUMINATION
4 min readMay 14, 2023

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Photo by sebastiaan stam on Unsplash

The darkest characters always intrigue me from my childhood of, any fictional or nonfictional story. We always focus on the positive side of heroes and jeopardize the negative traits. But, this hypothesis doesn’t work always in real life. We can learn a lot from the Villains of any story, only if we are enlightened on the optimistic traits of the Darkest characters.

In this article, I will focus more on a single character Tommy Shelby from the Peaky Blinder series. Yes! He was a criminal. He was a mafia. He was a businessman. He was a womanizer. But, these traits are only shown too much in the media.

Now, we will dig down the character and will try to see the flip side of the same dark coin to analyze and learn some psychological traits of a criminal Mastermind; which can benefit us in real life in positive ways.

Strategic thinking:

Thomas Shelby is a memorable and complex character from the popular TV show Peaky Blinders. As the leader of the Shelby crime family in 1920s Birmingham, England, Thomas is known for his cunning and strategic thinking. He is constantly looking for new opportunities and ways to gain an advantage over his competition. One of Thomas’s key strategies is his ability to adapt to changing circumstances and think on his feet. He is able to use his charm and charisma to get what he wants.

Strategic thinking is an essential skill that can help us navigate difficult situations in our lives. It involves being able to analyze complex problems, identify potential solutions, and make informed decisions based on available information. Developing your strategic thinking skills can help you become more effective in your personal and professional life. Here are some tips on how you can develop your strategic thinking skills:

  1. Be proactive: Take the initiative to identify potential problems before they arise.
  2. Be analytical: Analyze complex problems by breaking them down into smaller parts.
  3. Be creative: Think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions.
  4. Be flexible: Be open to new ideas and be willing to change course if necessary.
  5. Be decisive: Make informed decisions based on available information.

Strategy is the secret ingredient in the recipe for dealing with life’s setbacks!

Resilience :

One of the key traits that make Thomas Shelby resilient is his ability to stay calm under pressure. He is able to think clearly and make informed decisions even in the most difficult situations.

Resilience is an essential skill that can help us navigate difficult situations in our lives. It involves being able to bounce back from setbacks and overcome obstacles. Developing your resilience can help you become more effective in your personal and professional life. So, here are some tips on how you can develop your resilience:

  1. Be optimistic: Focus on the positive aspects of a situation.
  2. Be adaptable: Be open to change and willing to try new things.
  3. Be determined: Set goals for yourself and work towards achieving them.
  4. Be patient: Remember that change takes time.

Struggles never leave you broken. Even if you feel fragile after overcoming them, your trophy is waiting for you at the end of the journey!

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Leadership:

Thomas Shelby, the enigmatic leader of the Peaky Blinders gang, is known for his ruthless tactics and unwavering determination. But what sets him apart from other leaders is his ability to inspire fierce loyalty and respect from his followers.

  1. Be calm under pressure: Stay focused and think clearly even in difficult situations.
  2. Be a good listener: Listen carefully to others and be open to their ideas.
  3. Be confident: Believe in yourself and your abilities.
  4. Be assertive: Take charge when necessary and assert your dominance.

The biggest weapon of leadership is understanding the people around you!

Psychological disorders :

Thomas Shelby’s life was full of struggles, and his mental health was no exception. Mianly, when he came back from the war he already PTSP, depression. Despite his tough exterior, he often found himself struggling with depression and anxiety. However, he never let his mental health define him or hold him back from achieving his goals.

Thomas Shelby’s journey to overcome his depression and anxiety was not an easy one, but he never gave up. He learned to identify his triggers and coping mechanisms to deal with his mental health issues. His experiences can teach us the importance of self-awareness, seeking help, and never giving up.

We can learn from Thomas Shelby’s experience by prioritizing our mental health, seeking professional help when needed, and surrounding ourselves with supportive and understanding people. But, by developing our own coping mechanisms, we can handle difficult situations with resilience and strength for a while.

If you become a tough cookie, problems will start to run away from you!

Conclusion: By developing these skills, you can become more effective at navigating difficult situations in your life.

You could sum up the key takeaways from your exploration of Tommy Shelby’s psychology and offer some reflections on the broader implications of your findings. Perhaps emphasize the importance of embracing the complexity of human psychology and using fictional characters like Tommy Shelby as a means of exploring our own inner worlds.

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Abhishek Biswas
ILLUMINATION

Technologist | Entrepreneur | Writer | Mentor | Industrial Ambassador | Mighty Polymath