Wooden, Part 2

How did John Wooden do it?  How did he turn out team after team of champions—not only on the court but also men who accomplished much with their lives after athletics?  Testimony after testimony from his former players disclose that Coach Wooden gave them an invaluable framework, tools, and real-time experience that transformed them from typical athletes before exposure to Wooden’s program to highly productive citizens who found success in all areas of their lives.

He did it by giving them an example—his example.  He simply was not content with mediocrity.  He gave them a ‘Pyramid of Success’ that he required that they learn and practice as long as they were with him. 

                          

From the bottom, the foundation of the pyramid was comprised of Industriousness and Enthusiasm as the cornerstones of a five-block base.  The other three blocks were Friendship, Loyalty, and Cooperation. 

 

Industriousness meant that you had to work hard—extremely hard, hard enough that you came to love to work.  It meant that you didn’t cut corners—that you gave it all that you had.  A lazy person, no matter how skilled, could not make it on Coach Wooden’s teams.  He liked Grantland Rice’s poem ‘How To Be a Champion:’

            You wonder how they do it,

            You look to see the knack,

            You watch the foot in action,

            Or the shoulder or the back.

            But when you spot the answer

            Where the higher glamours lurk,

            You’ll find in moving higher

            Up the laurel-covered spire,

            That most of it is practice,

            And the rest of it is work.

He said, “Industriousness is the most conscientious, assiduous, and inspired type of work.”  It was absolutely expected of himself and all his people.

Enthusiasm for him meant that you had to love what you were doing; that your heart must be in it.  He didn’t like whiners or those who complained about how hard their job was.  By contrast with these malcontents, enthusiasm brushes off on those with whom you work and you stimulate others to higher levels of achievement. 

The three foundational blocks between the cornerstones of Industriousness and Enthusiasm included other people and bound the two cornerstones together: 

 

The foundational block of Friendship is a cohesive force that comes from mutual respect and esteem.  In friendship both sides give and gain.  In it there is a conscious effort to do things to help and build the other person as they both work for a common goal.

Loyalty means giving respect to those with whom you work and trusting them.  It is a great team builder. 

 

Cooperation means working together for a common goal—not trying to be the whole show yourself.  You are not the only fish in the pond.  To get cooperation you must give cooperation.  “Always seek to find the best way rather than insisting on your own way.”  This allows individuals to move forward together.  He graphically pointed out that “Ten strong field horses could not pull an empty baby carriage if they worked independently of each other.”  All they would do is pull it apart. 

 

Since it is a cardinal principle of good teaching, which is what Coach Wooden did all of the time, to not overload a person until he becomes familiar and comfortable with the load, I will discuss the ten other blocks that comprise the upper levels of the pyramid in another posting.  If you are seriously interested in success as John Wooden defines it, study these first five foundation stones very carefully and try to integrate them into your own life--starting now.