This post is based upon a #FlipMyFunnel Podcast. If you’d like to listen to the full episode, you can check it out Below.
He wasn’t good at coaching basketball. He was an icon. John Wooden won 10 D1 championships in 12 years. 7 of these were back to back. (No other coach has ever won five consecutively.)
His 1973 team was the first to have consecutive undefeated seasons. His team won over 600 games.
Oh, and he played too. He was the first player in basketball to be named All-American at least three times. This earned him a place in the Hall of Fame, both as a player and as a coach (another first).
There’s a reason they called him the “Wizard of Westwood.”
This episode of #FlipMyFunnel Podcast features 6 quotes by legendary coach. I discuss what we can all learn about his amazing success and personal life.
#1: “Success is never final, failure is never fatal, and it’s courage that counts.”
John Wooden never stopped. John Wooden was a man who never gave up on the future. He always remained focused on the present regardless of past success or failure. That’s how you win over 600 games in your coaching career.
This valuable lesson was evident when I attended our first #FlipMyFunnel conference. Chicago and Boston both flopped. The team here however, Terminus doesn’t stop. They were eager to continue their journey and dig deeper. Even though the attendance was low, they felt that the conferences were still valuable.
I’m so glad they kept pushing through the first two failures. They weren’t fatal — our next event in San Francisco had over 1,500 people.
#2 “Never cease trying to be the best you can be.”
This one struck a chord with me (literally). Due to a very hectic speaking schedule (29 events) this year, I was away a lot. I brought home a key from this journey: Life isn’t about balance. It’s about being the best, in every moment, wherever that moment takes you.
When I’m at work, my mind and emotions are consumed by what I am doing. When I’m with my family, my goal is to make that time as captivating for us as possible.
Balance isn’t the word … it’s about finding the love in every moment, being the best, consistently, in every activity.
#3: “The best competition I have is against myself, to become better.”
When the Wizard talked to his players, he didn’t speeches about the opoposition. He was only concerned with his team. Each of us has our laziness and our fears, as well as our justifications. You can reason yourself out of things just as well as you can reason yourself into them.
We have to ask ourselves, “What is it that we really want?” and then attack life from that angle, realizing that one of our biggest opponents will be the internal excuses, doubts, and fears that attempt to stunt our effectiveness.
#4: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
This is an incredibly valuable skill for leadership roles. And we’re all leaders to someone. Your reputation will speak louder if you demonstrate depth of character.
Mr. Wooden was well-respected as a basketball coach. Because of his 8-year-old age, we are writing about him in a business blog. Character.
#5 “Today is the only day. Yesterday’s gone.”
We’ve all done this far too often: We take yesterday’s baggage with us to sleep. When we wake up, our new day is already tainted. We continue to accumulate more baggage. We repeat until we’ve submerged ourselves with yesterday’s weight.
Wooden didn’t make this mistake, because yesterday never existed.
He learned what to avoid from mistakes, what to repeat from success, and then forgot yesterday — good or bad, having won or lost. Today is the only day.
#6 “Don’t give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you.”
Sometimes all we have to do is get on our feet and take the chance. We don’t get unlimited shots at opportunities. There are only a few chances for us to take advantage of what we want and to achieve what we were meant to do. When we don’t take those opportunities, we end up admiring and idolizing those who do.
Never take big chances at the wrong time.
It’s always inconvenient. There’s always a reason not to.
The idea of co-founding was presented to me for the first time. TerminusMy second daughter, had just arrived. This was probably the worst time to add a start up.
But my wife knew I’d spend the rest of my life regretting missing my shot, if I didn’t go for it.
Sangrams Challenge:
Here’s the challenge:
We do a great job on Thanksgiving telling God, our family, and our friends “thank you.” The rest of the year, we tend to skip out on gratitude.
Text one person this week and sincerely thank them for what they’ve meant to you.
(And maybe give them a little John Wooden quote while you’re at it.)
