Study great players and coaches. I came upon an article, "10 Priceless John Wooden Lessons" and thought, "what Wooden lessons would I include?" I wrote this first, then reviewed the piece.
1. Embrace the "Pyramid of Success." So much to unpack. Start with the cornerstones...industriousness and enthusiasm. Consider the top "being your best." And the heart, "Condition, Skill, Team Spirit."
2. "Make every day your masterpiece." That preceded Don Miguel Ruiz's fourth agreement, "Always do your best."
3. "Little things make big things happen." Attend to the details...how we study, meet, communicate.
4. "Don't whine, don't complain, don't make excuses." Be accountable. It's hard to be positive and reflective all the time. But it's worth it.
5. Honor your commitments. Wooden took the job at UCLA only to learn an hour later of a Big Ten job. He had committed to UCLA. Fate changed Wooden from a Gopher to a Bruin.
6. Be patient. It took Wooden 16 years at UCLA to win a championship. "Overnight success" seldom occurs overnight.
7. Never tire about fundamentals. Wooden marveled that Bill Walton never fatigued about working on his footwork.
8. Be versatile. When asked about ideal players, Wooden emphasized versatility, mentioning Jamaal Wilkes.
9.Be consistent. UCLA's record-breaking run of nine titles in ten years set a standard for consistency. Nobody has approached that standard of excellence.
10.Be humane. Wooden told a story of being unable to get the family mule to plow. But his father whispered something to the mule to get her going. It wasn't an isolated incident.
Yes, there's a lot more - the 2-2-1 three-quarter court press, UCLA cuts, two guard front offenses, a championship team with a 6'6" center...
Lagniappe. Worth seeing at least once.
