John Wooden and his Maxims

John Wooden and his Maxims

 

I don’t remember much about my ninth-grade English teacher, not even her name. But I do remember one thing. I loved learning new words and prided myself in expanding my vocabulary. One day, after class I asked her, “What’s the key to learning a new word?” She smiled and said, “Use a word three times and it’s yours.”

 

When visiting Coach Wooden in his Encino Condo I asked, “Coach. What’s the key to teaching?” He said, “The best teacher is example,” and then he quoted the following, anonymous, poem.

 

No written word no oral plea

Can teach our youth what they should be

Nor all the books on all the shelves;

It’s what the teachers are themselves.

 

On another visit, frustrated that my basketball team didn’t think rebounding was that important, I told Coach, “I have taught them how to rebound but they won’t do it.” Coach held up his hand as if to stop me and said, “You have not taught until they have learned.”

 

When I was coaching, I called Wooden and said, “In our first team meeting, I told the players that I didn’t trust any of them and it was up to them to gain my trust.” Coach replied, “It’s better to trust and be disappointed once in a while than to not trust and be miserable all the time.”

 

When I boasted to Coach, “I helped a little boy with his shooting today,” he said, “You haven’t lived a perfect day until you have done something for someone without the thought of receiving anything in return.”

 

Those of you who knew John Wooden know that he spoke in Axioms or little sentences of wisdom. It is not surprising when you consider his father did the same. For example, when teaching his sons about success, he said, “Don’t try to be better than someone else but never cease trying to become the best you can be.” This was the basis of, what would later be, John Wooden’s definition for success, “Success is the peace of mind which is a direct result of the self-satisfaction of knowing you made the effort to become the best you can be.”

 

Another contributor to Coach Wooden’s love for timeless truths was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was in the habit of spewing out truisms on a regular basis. One that Coach shared with me was, “You can learn something from everyone although most of the time it’s what not to do. But that’s learning just the same.” One more was, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” (I wonder if that motived Coach to drive across town and make friends with Bob Boyd, USC coach.)

 

But seriously, why did Coach Wooden speak in maxims? They are true, short, and power-packed. Just a few words can have a potent effect on someone. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail,” can change someone from blaming others to thinking, ‘The fault may be with myself.’ “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, for your character is what you are while your reputation is merely what others think you are,” can make someone do a 180 to focus on what’s controllable rather than what’s not.  

 

I don’t know about you but I’m motivated to become a Maxim Man. I have grandchildren and I want to be able to have one of those little nuggets of truth in my back pocket, should one of them need a prescription.  

 

And may I apply my ninth-grade teacher’s advice for learning Maxims? Use a maxim three times and it’s yours.” How about you? Are you coming?

 

If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.

John Wooden