A core part of Coach Wooden's philosophy is based on a card that his father gave him and his brothers when they graduated from grammar school. On one side of the card was a verse by the Reverend Henry Van Dyke:

"Four things a man must learn to do
If he would make his life more true:
To think without confusion clearly,
To love his fellowman sincerely,
To act from honest motives purely,
To trust in God and Heaven securely."

The other side was titled "Seven Things To Do," The first item was: "Be true to yourself." When Coach spoke on this topic, he often quoted Polonius giving advice to his son Laertes as he ventures off into the world from the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare:

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."

One of Joshua Wooden’s core values was his gentleness with all living creatures. The family kept two plowing mules named Jack and Kate. Kate tended to lie down in the field and refuse to work. No matter how rough or frustrated John got with Kate, she would not budge. Joshua, however, would walk over until he was within earshot of the mule, and simply say, “Kate.” This alone would be enough to spur the animal back into action. Joshua Wooden proved the famous words of Han Suyin, "There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness."

As he grew older, Coach Wooden realized that his father’s gentleness came from the peace of mind he achieved through confidence and contentment from being true to himself.

Coach derived the same contentment by being true to his core values. People were naturally drawn to Coach in the same way that people and animals alike responded to his father’s contagious serenity. It was one of the fundamental traits of his effective leadership.

How do your core values impact your decisions?

Click here for personal development exercise

Craig Impelman

www.woodenswisdom.com

Twitter: @woodenswwisdom

COACH’S FAVORITE

POETRY AND PROSE

“This work by Rudyard Kipling
when applied to athletes has much meaning and depth of

purpose.” ~ John Wooden

“IF”

If you can keep your head

when all about you

Are losing theirs

and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself

when all men doubt you

and make allowances

for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be

tired of waiting

Or being lied about,

don't deal in lies

Or being hated,

don't give way to hating

And yet don't look too good,

nor talk too wise;

If you can dream,

and not make dreams your master;

If you can think and

not make thoughts

If you can meet with

Triumph and Disaster,

And treat these two imposters

just the same;

If you can bear to hear

the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves

to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things

you gave your life to, broken,

and stoop, and build them

up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one

heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn

of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your

heart and nerve

and sinew

To serve your turn long

after they are gone,

And so hold on

When there is nothing in you

Except the Will

which says to them:

"Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds

and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings--

nor lose the common touch--

If neither foes

nor loving friends

can hurt you,

If all men count with you--

but none too much;

If you can fill

the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours in the Heart

and everything that's in it

And--which is more--

you'll be a Man, my son!

~ Rudyard Kipling

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