1. It is crucial to define a cogent philosophy of life, then refer to it constantly.



It is important to have things you believe in that you constantly come back to, regardless of the circumstance or season of life.



The timeless wisdom Coach Wooden received from his father:
° Never lie.
° Never cheat.
° Never steal
° Don’t whine.
° Don’t complain.
° Don’t make excuses.






Coach Wooden’s 7-Point Creed:
° Be true to yourself.
° Help others.
° Make each day your masterpiece.
° Drink deeply from good books – especially the Bible.
° Make friendship a fine art.
° Build shelter against a rainy day (faith in God).
° Pray for guidance and counsel and give thanks for your blessings each day.





2. Continue to cultivate a lifelong network of relationships and contacts.

Even if you don’t have a system, stay in contact with people and allow them into your life.

Don’t stay in contact with others in a “quid pro quo” sort of way, in which you remain friends because they can do something for you. Maintain relationship for the sake of relationship.




3. Learn from everyone.

There is nothing you know in life that you did not learn from someone else.

Some people have much to offer – like parents and mentors. Some have less, but nevertheless are worth listening to and learning from.




4. Be gentle.

Sometimes people need a slap on the back to encourage them to move along – pure affirmation. Sometimes the slap needs to be a little lower, but nevertheless ought to be gentle.

People respond to gentleness in a way they don’t respond to yelling.





5. Know how you define success – what it means to “make every day your masterpiece.”

Coach Wooden’s pyramid allows him to always know what the components of success are.

Coach Wooden’s definition of success: Success is peace of mind, attainted only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable.




6. Give credit to those under your supervision.

Don’t take the credit for what others have done. Even if you have had a hand in the result, allow others to take credit.

You grow your people, and you position them for greater results in the future if they are able to reap some of the “credit benefit” from the effort they exerted.




7. Treating every equally shows partiality.

Everyone is different, and there is no formula for making a group of people successful.

You have to make some people mad to get them to perform; for others, you take a much different tack.

You should give each individual the treatment they earn and deserve; it is wrong to treat everyone alike.