Wisdom from the Greatest Coach of All Time...

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Check out my book, Culture WINS: 50 Ways to Build a Winning Culture:

ONE THOUGHT...

The one coach that I always come back to for wisdom and insight is John Wooden, the legend and HOF coach from UCLA.

He is and always has been my coaching idol. Many would argue that he is the greatest coach of all time.

His book, Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court, serves as my second bible. It has so much wisdom that can be applied to coaching, leadership, and life in general.

I give a copy of this book to my graduating senior players each year.

In his book, he discussed one of the life rules that he was given to him by his father.

John Wooden’s “Two sets of Threes” are simple rules of life.

Wooden On HONESTY:

  • Never Lie

  • Never Cheat

  • Never Steal

Wooden On ADVERSITY:

  • Don’t Whine

  • Don’t Complain

  • Don’t Make Excuses

Pretty simple right?

Imagine a Home where everyone followed these rules.

Imagine a School where everyone followed these rules.

Imagine a TEAM where everyone followed these rules.

Imagine a Community where everyone followed these rules.

Imagine a World where everyone followed these rules.

All we can control in this world is ourselves: our choices, our attitude, and our effort. This is the process of self-leadership which is the foundation of ALL leadership.

If we cannot lead ourselves, we cannot begin to lead others.

And...we ALL have to be leaders whether we like it or not.

When we become parents and have kids, we have to be leaders and have a skillset to lead our kids and family.

John Wooden's wisdom is simple yet effective for everyone. Here is another great quote from John Wooden:

"Let me give so much time to the improvement of myself that I shall have no time to criticize others." - John Wooden

Our world could really use this "WOODEN WISDOM" right now. It is so easy to criticize others. Social Media allows people to be critical with no accountability.

I am a big believer that if you cannot say something to someone's face, then it should not be said.

I am also a believer that if you cannot say something nice, then do not say anything at all.

Social media and email allow people to be cowards and criticize people behind their screens with no accountability.

As coaches, teachers, and school leaders, we all see this WAY TOO OFTEN.

If people could spend their time worrying about "improving themself" as opposed to "criticizing others," we would have a much more civil world.

Finally, one more piece of Wooden Wisdom is found in a post I wrote a few months ago, The 7 Rules of Life by John Wooden:

Seven simple rules that would make us all happier and more successful!

Follow and share the great wisdom of Coach Wooden! I am very confident that our world would be much better if we all did.

  • Make today your masterpiece

  • Be true to yourself

  • Magnify your blessings

  • Improve yourself

  • Make friendship a fine art

  • Be grateful

  • Follow his two sets of three's

  • And much more...

Good Luck!

TWO QUOTES...

“Value people, you never know what God will do through another person”. - Inky Johnson

"The people who win are either better than their competition or they are different from their competition." - Phil Beckner

THREE TWEETS FROM OTHERS...

Check out my Book: Culture WINS!

Culture WINS & Coaching GOLD

Why do some teams WIN year after year?

There are many reasons, but creating a Winning Mindset and a Winning Culture are two big ones.

This 42-page eBook (pdf) is loaded with 50 practical and useful ideas that coaches can use NOW to help build a Winning Culture and Winning Mindset in their program. Some of these ideas include:

  • Create MUDITA

  • No Deposit - No Return

  • 80-8 Rule

  • Be an MVT (Most Valuable Teammate)

  • Life is an Echo

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  • Cool Doesn’t WIN

  • The Secret

  • 1% Better

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