“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” John Wooden
During Coach John Robert Wooden’s career at UCLA overseeing the men’s basketball program, he led the basketball team to an 88-game winning streak and 10 NCAA championship titles. But Coach Wooden was equally revered for being a mentor and lifelong teacher.
John Wooden is a legend in basketball, but more important, he is a legend in serving mankind. He was a master teacher and mentor to many inside and outside the sport of men’s college basketball. His Seven Point Creed was a timeless gift that his father gave him as a teenager entitled “Seven Things to Do” – which Coach later coined Seven Point Creed. The Creed contained the following advice:
- Be true to yourself.
- Make each day your masterpiece.
- Help others.
- Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
- Make friendship a fine art.
- Build a shelter (emergency fund, insurance, etc.) against a rainy day.
- Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.
Coach Wooden also always carried his own creed on a card that read, ‘The Four Things a Man Must Learn to Do”, which are:
- Think without confusion clearly
- Love his fellow-men sincerely
- Act from honest motives purely
- Trust in God and heaven securely
Real success
Real success, according to Coach Wooden, is defined not by wins and losses, but by the daily development of yourself and giving your best in all you do. Simple as the principles might seem, truly delivering on them requires effort most won’t or aren’t willing to give.
Pyramid of Success
The Pyramid of Success consists of philosophical building blocks for succeeding at basketball and at life.
At the top of the Pyramid of Success was “Competitive Greatness” which Wooden defined as “Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required each day.” By pushing yourself to achieve competitive greatness—the apex of Wooden’s Pyramid of Success—you’ll not only achieve all the rewards in your own life, but also have a favorable effect on your family and everyone you come in contact with.
Wooden believed that his greatest responsibility as a coach and teacher was to turn his players into mature and honorable young men, who were well prepared for life beyond basketball, and that his student-athletes’ success should not be measured by grades and wins alone, but also by heart and character.
“Your reputation is what you’re perceived to be, Your character is what you really are.” John Wooden
Among Wooden’s maxims:
- Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
- Flexibility is the key to stability
- Be quick, but don’t hurry
- Seek opportunities to show you care. The smallest gestures often make the biggest difference
Key takeaways
Remember that success, according to Coach Wooden, is not defined by victories. Instead, he defined success as “peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”
Don’t be afraid to fail because if you are afraid to fail, you will never do the things you are capable of doing. If you have thoroughly prepared and are ready to give it all you’ve got, there is no shame if you fail-nothing to fear in failure. But fear of failure is what often prevents one from taking action.
Be confident but not arrogant since arrogance, or elitism, is the feeling of superiority that fosters the assumption that past success will be repeated without the same hard effort that brought it about in the first place. Thus, “I have never gone into a game assuming victory”, Coach Wooden said. “All opponents have been respected, none feared. I taught those under my supervision to do the same. This reflects confidence, not arrogance. Arrogance will bring you down by your own hands.”
Pay attention to the little things. As a coach, Wooden was known for teaching his players how to put on their socks and shoes on the first day of practice. The lesson: Every detail matters.
References:
- https://www.thewoodeneffect.com/success-december-cover-story-featuring-john-wooden/
- https://www.woodencourse.com/the-pyramid-of-success/seven-point-creed
- https://www.thewoodeneffect.com/wooden-life-lessons/
- https://www.success.com/why-john-wooden-inspires-us/
- https://parade.com/969195/megangrant/new-years-resolutions-ideas/
- https://www.success.com/words-of-wisdom-ucla-legend-john-wooden/