Chapter 84.
Hold On to Principle

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

—Thomas Jefferson

“Discipline yourself, and others won’t need to,” Coach John Wooden would tell his players. “Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal,” and “Earn the right to be proud and confident.”

We’re starting to learn why John Wooden was the most successful college basketball coach of all time. No one has ever even come close. No one has ever motivated his athletes so superbly as Wooden.

Rick Reilly, the talented sportswriter, recalls (“A Paradigm Rising above the Madness,” Sports Illustrated, March 20, 2000): “If you played for him, you played by his rules:

Never score without acknowledging a teammate. One word of profanity, and you’re done for the day. Treat your opponent with respect. Coach Wooden believed in hopelessly out-of-date stuff that never did anything but win championships.” Reilly writes that Coach Wooden’s rule that his players could not have long hair or facial hair particularly drove them crazy. When Bill Walton, an All-American center, showed up with a full beard, he said, “It’s my right.” Reilly goes on: “Coach Wooden asked if he believed that strongly. Walton said he did. ‘That’s good, Bill,’ Coach said. ‘I admire people who have strong beliefs and stick by them, I really do. We’re going to miss you.’ Walton shaved it right then and there. Now Walton calls once a week to tell Coach he loves him.”

You have two ways to go as a motivator of others. You can seek to be liked or you can, like John Wooden, earn their respect. Respect is stronger. And, when their respect runs deep enough, you may end up being loved.