Excerpt from Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court by John Wooden and Steve Jamison.
John Wooden is a “philosopher-coach” in the truest sense: a man whose beliefs, teachings, and wisdom go far beyond sports, and ultimately address how to bring out the very best in yourself and others in all areas of life.
He is a master teacher who understands motivation, organization, and psychology. Coach Wooden is able to successfully share his wisdom because he has a gift for expressing his philosophy directly and simply, in a manner accessible and applicable to everyone.
Coach Wooden’s own life is the embodiment of enduring American values. His priorities are, and always have been, correct – family, faith, and friends – and he never veered from them in spite of professional success and celebrity of the highest magnitude. So how does John Wooden bring out the best in people?
Six Ways to Bring Out the Best in People
- Keep courtesy and consideration for others foremost in your mind, at home and away.
- Try to have fun without trying to be funny.
- While you can’t control what happens to you, you can control how you react. Make good manners an automatic reaction.
- Seek individual opportunities to offer a genuine compliment.
- Remember that sincerity, optimism, and enthusiasm are more welcome than sarcasm, pessimism, and laziness.
- Laugh with others, never at them.
