Quick, But Not In A Hurry

"Be quick, not in a hurry." - John Wooden

"Few people besides coaches and sportswriters recognize that the only constant in our championship teams was quickness - some players were tall, some were short, but all were quick." - John Wooden

Practice Can Be Enough

"I don't rate myself too high as a 'game' coach, but I was among the best when it came to conducting practice. And practice is where a championship is won." - John Wooden

It's encouraging to hear how far a person can go through the force of sheer preparation, even if not an intuitive genius in foreign situations. Thinking on one's feet is a great capability, but not a necessary one to come out a winner.

Little Things

"I don't like sloppiness on or off the court. Players not only were well-groomed and dressed neatly on road trips, but also put towels in the towel basket and not on the floor, picked up soap and turned off their showers, and put gum and candy wrappers in the wastebasket. I insisted on this because sloppiness in one areas breeds sloppiness in another."

"Little things done well is probably the greatest secret to success."

- John Wooden

Star Power

"The star of the team is the team." - John Wooden

Or as they say, the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the one on the back.

Sprouting Success

"There is nothing stronger than gentleness." - Abraham Lincoln

Oaks don't grow by shouting or pushing. Water, sunshine, patience and a little pruning raise the strongest trees... and people too.

Candy Helps, Too

"Young people need good models, not critics." - Anonymous

I admit it - I talk too much. And admission is the first step to recovery. Whether old or young, telling someone how to be is only of interest to those who want to listen. Consequences follow mistakes, but otherwise why pound a lifestyle down someone's throat? How often is "you should" a more effective mentoring phrase than "you might consider"?

The Right Priorities

"Coach Ward Lambert's priorities in basketball were simple: conditioning, fundamentals, and team spirit. His priority as a person was more direct and demanding: stand up for what you believe - even when you stand alone." - John Wooden

We just finished another annual round of determining raises for employees. As with any experiment in scarce resources, there's inherent tension within the process. This year it seemed that conflict was resolved professionally, that the greater good was uppermost in mind rather than individual biases. The ability to step outside oneself for the larger cause is part of the essence of "team spirit."

Getting Down To Basics

"Before Coach Curtis would let five players work together as a team, we had to perfect every basic skill he could think of - passing, defending, rebounding, making all the different types of shots, and more." - John Wooden

I've seen this approach not only in basketball, but even in reading about highly successful swimming coaches. And for that matter, by choir conductors. Mastering the basics individually helps dramatically in blending them together when it counts.

What are the basics in daily life? Perhaps how we handle criticism, defeat, loss of control, success, compliments, the unexpected. Then when we face these at full speed in our relationships, we handle them gracefully and well.

Prayer Of The Optimist

I'm not what I ought to be,
Not what I want to be,
Not what I'm going to be,
But I am thankful that I'm better than I used to be.

- Anonymous

Two Sets Of Threes

Never lie,
Never cheat,
Never steal.

Don't whine,
Don't complain,
Don't make excuses.

- Joshua Wooden

Simple enough... tough in practice. Every day that I can successfully wipe out the virus of the victim mentality is a great one.

Everyone's A Teacher

"Always try to learn from others, because you'll never know a thing that you didn't learn from somebydy else - even if it's what not to do." - Joshua Wooden

John Wooden's dad would probably also therefore encourage people to get outside the house and find ways to interact with others. Plants grow without moving around. People don't.

What To Try For

"Don't try to be better than somebody else, but never cease trying to be the best you can be. You have control over that. The other you don't." - Joshua Wooden