Issue 725 - "Self-Control: The Key to Turning Outside Noise Into Growth"


Wooden's Wisdom - Volume 13	Issue 725
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"SELF-CONTROL: THE KEY TO TURNING OUTSIDE NOISE INTO GROWTH" John Wooden Video Clip (120 sec.): Coach Wooden is asked: "Tell us your views on courtesy and politeness in the locker room." Outside noise — whether it comes from social media or as criticism, gossip, or public opinion — is unavoidable. But the impact it has on you depends entirely on one thing: Self-Control. Without Self-Control, Outside Noise Can: Distract you – Pulls you off your course and weakens your focus. Create anxiety – Raises stress hormones like cortisol and undermines your peace of mind. Trigger emotional reactions – You respond out of anger or frustration rather than clarity. Lead to impulsive choices – You start acting to protect your reputation instead of your character. With Self-Control, Outside Noise Can Be Transformed: Learn from it – Extract insights and use them to improve. Ignore it – Choose not to engage with what doesn’t serve your purpose. Let it motivate you – Use the energy as fuel to double down on your intent. Reframe it – Shift your perspective: "At least I have the chance to grow." Test it – Ask: "Is this revealing a blind spot I should work on?" Share it selectively – Talk through challenges with mentors or trusted teammates. Transform it – Channel it into creativity, humor, or moments that teach others. Reinforce your discipline – Use it as an opportunity to hold your ground. Self-Control is the difference between being thrown off course and staying the course. Outside noise is valuable if you do four things with it: Recognize it. Filter it. Ask why it bothers you. Then let it go. "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Character is what you are; reputation is what others think you are." — Coach John Wooden Coach Wooden’s teachings echo the wisdom of history’s great thinkers, all of whom understood the power of Self-Control: Booker T. Washington: "I will permit no man to degrade my soul by making me hate him." The Buddha: "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." Self-Control doesn’t mean suppressing emotion — it means directing your response. It’s the muscle that lets you choose growth over reaction, discipline over drama, and character over reputation. With Self-Control, no matter what the situation or input is — criticism, pressure, distraction, or disrespect — we can maintain a positive attitude, move into the solutions department, and find the advantage in the disadvantage. How long does it take you to start looking for the advantage in the disadvantage? Click here for personal development exercise: Issue 725. Click here for Printable Poetry: Issue 725. Yours in Coaching, Craig Impelman www.woodenswisdom.com Follow @woodenswisdom	COACH'S FAVORITE POETRY AND PROSE Ideals Better than land or gold or trade Are a high ideal and a purpose true; Better than all of the wealth we've made Is the work for others that now we do. For Rome grew rich and she turned to song And danced to music and drank her wine, But she sapped the strength of her fibres strong And a gilded shroud was her splendor fine. The Rome of old with its wealth and wine Was the handiwork of a sturdy race; They built well and they made it fine And they dreamed of it as their children's place. They thought the joys they had won to give, And which seemed so certain and fixed and sure, To the end of time in the world would live And the Rome they'd fashioned would long endure. They passed to their children the hoarded gold, Their marble halls and their fertile fields! But not the spirit of Rome of old, Nor the Roman courage that never yields. They left them the wealth that their hands had won, But they failed to leave them a purpose true. They left them thinking life's work all done, And Rome went down and was lost to view. We must guard ourselves lest we follow Rome. We must leave our children the finer things. We must teach them love of the spot called home And the lasting joy that a purpose brings. For vain are our Flag and our battles won, And vain are our lands and our stores of gold, If our children feel that life's work is done. We must give them a high ideal to hold. Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959)
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