It’s the Little Things That Matter

With basketball season underway – and with it, no need to never, ever discuss the 2021 gridiron campaign of the Florida Gators – we turned to a coach whose record is unmatched in the history of men’s college basketball for a little inspiration and to answer the question – what does it take to be successful?

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” – John Wooden

It’s instructive what Wooden did NOT mention in his definition of success, namely, rings, championships, or any of the trappings often associated with the zenith of athletic achievement. While his seasons often ended in championships – he won 10 with UCLA – they always began with a focus on the seemingly mundane, specifically, how to put socks on correctly.

The first practice of each season opened with Wooden demonstrating to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors how to apply socks over their toes and pull them up tight to eliminate the possibility of any wrinkles, which could cause blisters. Wooden then showed them how to open their shoes so that they would slide on the feet easily and not muss up the wrinkle-free socks.

There was no talk of going unbeaten, no talk of nets being cut down, no talk of adding yet another trophy to UCLA’s trophy case. Rather, Wooden’s objectives were small, controllable and achievable – put the socks on right, dive after loose balls, get back fast on defense, and so on. He knew that it’s the little details that make the big things come about. And by following the little things, his players became the best they were capable of becoming. The championships were merely a byproduct.

What worked on the UCLA practice court works in life. Set small, controllable, and achievable objectives instead of setting huge goals, e.g., don’t think about losing 50 pounds; rather, just hold off on dessert that night. Chalk up small victories every day, and build your way toward success.

The Thang
* Wrecking Ball led us through the warm-up and nailed the credo
* Mosey down the road then over to the hardcourt
* Lay-up drills
* Basketball relay games with squats and push-ups
* A game of PIG with push-up penalties

COT / BOM
Talked about the week in review, the week ahead, what guys wanted to get off their chests. Big week coming up with job interviews for three of the guys. Special surprise call to Wasted to check on potential jobs with Waste Management. Give those lawyers a swift kick in the butt, Wasted! 🙂 Closed with a prayer asking for strength in the face of temptation and for success in the job interviews.