Category: Coach John Wooden

Integrity - It's Kind Of A Big Deal

11/19/2021

I found a fabulous article about Integrity, all from the perspective of a wonderful difference maker who was a long-time educator and basketball coach. His name was John Wooden. Here is the article about the connection he had to Integrity - Click HERE.

One of the main things I drew from this article - and from studying the man for most of my life, is that this is such a necessary building block for a good life and we all need to work on it as such. It goes way beyond ourselves too. If we lead a life of integrity, that helps us to connect with more people for sure. It's one of the things (the many things), that the world needs more of for sure. It can lead to a good night sleep, I tell you that. Living a life of character and integrity... it's the softest pillow ever!! We don't have to be worried about lies, or things we said or did, coming back to cause us much trouble.

His "Pyramid of Success" is something that has stood the test of many years. Integrity is like the cement that holds all of these blocks together. It is easy to see that all of these parts of his pyramid - and those Positivity Project character terms really do make life much easier to navigate through.

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Lessons From Coach John Wooden on a TED Talk.

1/1/2019

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Coach John Wooden will always be a teacher to me. A fantastic educator who's messages and methods are needed today in our world more than ever. In this video that Coach did for a TED Talk, he brings up so many valuable lessons. One of which is his definition of success and how it is more about us doing our best instead of comparing ourselves to others. That is something that all of us can remember and take with us wherever we go. His dad was one of the biggest difference makers in his life and the lessons that he took with him througout his whole life - and his life lasted just about 100 years!! Now we can take those lessons from his entire life and get them from a video or read them in one of his many books.

The other part to this is from Coach Wooden's "Pyramid of Success"! Again, so many valuable lessons from this document - for 2019 I am looking to gain CONFIDENCE in myself and apply that to things that I need to do - things that I have had to do for years!! I know it's inside of me and I've had glimpes of it before, but there is no time like the present to get this going in my life. SELF-CONTROL is something that I also need to work on. I need to develope better habits, those things that will take me closer to my dreams and goals and not further away. On the flip side there are bad habits that I need to replace. It's been said that the quickest way to success is to replace a bad habit with a good one. That needs to be something I look to do every day! Again - so many valuable reminders from a timeless document that Coach Wooden gave to us.

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"Just do the best you can. No one can do more than that." - John Wooden

2/23/2018

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This is one thing (of many) that I need to get better at. Coach John Wooden mentions this as part of his definition of success. Doing the best we can, at things we have to do throughout our life, is a great way to approach life. Looking to get better day in and day out is something we all need to look at doing.

Coach Wooden talks about not comparing ourselves with others. We, ourselves, are the only ones we should be competing against. We are the only ones that can control or have a say as to what we do in this competition. There are no referees, no other team going against us - the only opponent for me is me! How cool is it to know everything possible about your opponent? That never happens in sports I can tell you that.

The key for me is to approach each and every day with this attitude of looking to do more and to always try and get better. There are plenty of days where I don't want to do that, I don't feel like it, there are other things to spend my time on instead of self-improvement, a TV show or a game might be on, and the distraction list goes on and on.

One other factor is that I realize when I'm not doing my best and looking back throughout my life - there are plenty of times where I can remember knowing that I was not doing my best. To realize that, especially in the moment, is something that I'm trying to change of course. The younger we connect with this idea, the better off we will be. This goes way beyond sports too. This is in everyday life! Especially with relationships. Seeing that relationships are so important, this is a great concept to connect with. Always try and add value to your relationships with others, especially the really important ones - family & close friends.

This was a weekly quote that I shared with my students and it has caused me to reflect that I need to take these weekly quotes in for me too and not just think that my students need to see it. What about you? Are you finding that you needed this reminder too? I hope so. Drop me a note as to what your thoughts & ideas are about this. Find me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/coachtoexpectsuccess/ and on Twitter: @coachtosuccess

Guess what?? I just got onto Instagram!! Find me: coachjohndaly

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We Get A Chance To Do This Everyday!

4/27/2017

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"Make each day your masterpiece." — John Wooden

Since we all get the same amount of time during a day, we need to take some time to look at how we are spending that day. I’ve been trying to follow Coach Wooden’s advice about making each of my days a masterpiece and on many of them, falling a little short. Maybe I should say I have small masterpieces instead of an entire day’s masterpiece. Still trying to grasp my ideas as to how to pull this off everyday.

One thing I know for sure is that I need to raise my standards every day. I’ve heard that message many times over the last few weeks. From guest speakers in my Principles of Leadership classes that I teach, from podcasts I’ve been listening to, and also from just casual conversation with people and watching the news. (which I’m really not doing too much of lately).

Getting back to my thought about having a bunch of little masterpieces throughout my day – that’s they thought I am connecting to more now that I’m thinking about this topic a little more. Having some toast with a little peanut butter along with my coffee this morning and of course some good tunes on in the background, I guess it’s making it a little easier to connect to this topic.

Right from the start of my day, I’ve tried to wake up with an attitude of gratitude in my heart. That really seems to help get my day started in a fabulous direction. The list goes on and on about what I have to be thankful for. Waking up first of all, my wife & kids, my parents, my sister and her family, my in-laws, friends, etc., so many people that I have close to me that I’m blessed to have in my life.

As I was leaving this morning I thought about the fact that I love going where I’m going at 5:57 a.m. I work in a school that I really am grateful for. After almost 24 years here and so many students that I’ve been lucky to be around and work with, the great staff members that are here working hard for our students – they have made a huge difference in my life. The list goes on and on as to what I’m grateful for. The key for me is to be mindful of those things as often as I can.

Living well, working hard and trying to do my best to help others is really what my masterpiece is all about. Making a difference with others and adding value to their lives, which is a big part of the canvas that I paint my masterpiece every day. That little thought to think about the ants… they are so busy running around outside (and inside at times too)… but what are they busy about? What are they spending their time doing? Humans are the same. What are we doing with our lives many days running around earning a life or are we building a life to be proud of? As I get older, I am really trying to go after building a life of significance, one with great meaning and to me that is making a difference with others. That will be the masterpiece that I’m chasing – my question for you, what is your masterpiece that you should be going after?

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Failures Are Not Fatal, Unless We Fail To Change - Quote Of The Week!

3/15/2015

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“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” John Wooden

It seems this thought, like many others, have been hovering around me in many different ways over the last few months. Looking back it probably started while I was home recovering and I had a little more time to do some thinking along with having time to notice a few things more than I normally get the opportunity to do.

There have been many failures in my life and I have finally begun to look at them with more of a studying type of look and learning from it, instead of being a victim or blaming others. I’ve had glimpses of this better type of thinking throughout my life, now it just seems to be happening more frequently as I get older.

I’m noticing things changing a lot more too. With both of our kids off at college, there is more time for my wife and I to do things together along with time to do things ourselves too. Both of our parents are getting older and all the issues that seem to come with age are starting to happen with it too. Speaking of age, my wife and I are getting older too of course. There are things that we have to make changes in so many areas of our lives right now.

That goes for all of us. No matter what age we are at, learning from failures that happen (and they happen a lot in life), are necessary for success. The idea of not changing when times dictate that we need to do that, those can be disastrous.

I look around and I see plenty of people that refuse to change. They wear it as a badge of courage for not changing. They either think they know everything and they don’t have to change. Some think they need to show how tough they are and that they can do things on their own without any help from others. This might be the most fatal failure of all – where people don’t think they have to change. I think if you’re not changing, you are actually on your way to getting worse. That’s one thing I don’t ever want to do – I’m looking to always get better. How about you?

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New Year Coming... Thoughts On Success From Coach Wooden - Quote Of The Week

12/29/2014

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"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

With all the things that we can do to improve ourselves, there seems to be a quote that is great to think about as we end one year and start off a new one. Coach John Wooden had so much success in basketball, but what everyone has to understand is that he had even more success teaching leadership lessons.

Success has so many puzzle pieces to it since it means different things to different people. Since it deals with doing our best to become all that we are capable of becoming, there has to be time spent on improving ourselves in many different areas.

Coach is right as success is indeed peace of mind. That is one thing that all of us need to work on is our mind and the things that come into our minds. Those things can make a distinct difference in what success we have going towards goals and dreams that we have. Reading is one of the best things we can do for ourselves. New information that gets our minds working on new ideas and thoughts, these things can really help us doing our best.

Doing our best has so much to do with what we are thinking about. This quote has got me thinking that I need to continue to work hard at doing my best, which in many areas in my life I am not doing and when I look back at those areas, it shows up to me as I don’t have the self-satisfaction knowing that I have not done my best. I can tell you though, that I’m looking forward to fixing that starting now. I don’t need to wait for the new year as I’m going to start today and then work hard to continue it into the new year.

Speaking of the new year – if we look at this quote and focus on all the parts that go with it (the exercise, eating right, fixing old habits and starting new ones, reading more, improving our relationships, etc.), all the resolutions should connect with Coach Wooden’s statement. The other big key, don’t just make them for New Years Day. These things should be worked on all year long. How does Coach Wooden’s statement connect with you?

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Integrity - It's Kind Of A Big Deal

Lessons From Coach John Wooden on a TED Talk.

"Just do the best you can. No one can do more than that." - John Wooden

We Get A Chance To Do This Everyday!

Failures Are Not Fatal, Unless We Fail To Change - Quote Of The Week!

New Year Coming... Thoughts On Success From Coach Wooden - Quote Of The Week

Coach John Daly

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