What shapes our basketball obituary? In The Road to Character, David Brooks distinguishes between resume' virtues and eulogy virtues. "Résumé virtues, he proposes, are those that are valued in the contemporary marketplace: the high test scores achieved by a student, the professional accomplishments pulled off by an adult. They are the skills that are met with bigger paychecks and public approbation. Eulogy virtues, on the other hand, are the aspects of character that others praise when a person isn’t around to hear it: humility, kindness, bravery."
As we navigate our journey, place eulogy virtues above resume' virtues. Add value to others before seeking value for ourselves. Have empathy for players struggling to find their way. Two primary metrics for coaches are capacity to add value to others and help players feel valued.
We add the most value when our players feel valued. Praise authentically.
"You can do this."
"Don't tryout for the varsity as a freshman. Contribute to the varsity as a freshman."
"Be yourself; be the difference."
"Do what you do."
"I believe in you."
Kafka reminds us, "each of us is necessarily the hero of our own story." To elevate our eulogy virtues, raise others to be heroes. Our legacy isn't the stories we told, the books we wrote, bank accounts, or championships won, but the people we changed.
Lagniappe: Truth on a timeline
Lagniappe 2: SLOB. Boomerang into a 2 on 1.“What reveals itself in playoff time are the things you couldn’t do all regular season.” -Michael Lombardi— PickandPop (@PickAndPopNet) January 6, 2020
