June 10th 2010John Wooden - Coaching Excellence

Posted by Brian Bartes

When I think about people who exemplify the words success and excellence, John Wooden is certainly at or near the top of that list. After a long life of coaching and modeling greatness, John Wooden passed away last Friday at the age of 99.

 

                   

 

As a legendary basketball coach, John Wooden is the most successful coach in history. His accomplishments at UCLA include winning ten NCAA national championships, including seven in a row from 1967 to 1973, and four perfect 30-0 seasons.

 

During his tenure at UCLA, “The Wizard of Westwood” would coach such greats as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton and Henry Bibby.

 

But what few people realize is that Wooden was a model of success not only in basketball, but also in life. Wooden’s non-basketball honors include being named California “Sports Father of the Year” and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

 

Several traits contributed to his success both on and off the court, and Wooden’s success philosophy is documented in his famous “Pyramid of Success.” But the one that stands out more than any other is the advice given to him by his father when Wooden graduated from grammar school:

 

Make each day your masterpiece.

 

Wooden wanted to end each day thinking that he had done his best. And he instilled this philosophy in his players. As I reflect back on his life, and the difference he made for many, many people, it is clear that Coach Wooden’s life was a masterpiece. He is a wonderful model for living an excellent life.

 

Here are a few of the many nuggets of wisdom from Coach Wooden:

 

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

 

If you get yourself too engrossed in things over which you have no control, it will adversely affect things over which you do have control.

 

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

 

Failure is not fatal. Failure to change might be.

 

Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

 

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.

 

Never mistake activity for achievement.

 

Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.

 

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

 

                   

January 6th 2010JUST SAY YES!

Posted by Brian Bartes

As 2010 begins, you have probably taken some time already to reflect on last year and to consider what kind of year 2010 will be for you. If you’re like me, January will be a season in which you continue to look forward and make plans for 2010. Ever the eternal optimist, I believe 2010 will be a great year for most people…including you!

 

Typically, I write about resolutions, goal setting, or strategic planning of some sort in this first message of the New Year. While the theme of the message is the same this year, I’m going to suggest you approach your planning a bit differently this time.

 

I’m just returning from eight days at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. My family and I had a wonderful time, although I don’t recommend the week between Christmas and New Year’s, for a variety of reasons. It was not the “warm weather winter vacation” that we had hoped for, with highs averaging in the low to mid 60s. And the parks were jam-packed. Were it not for the Fastpasses that our Disney Vacation Club representative provided when we arrived, we might not have ridden any of the more popular rides.

 

I’m not complaining, though. I am certainly grateful for the opportunity to get away. 60 degrees is certainly better than 20, and I savor the time that we are able to enjoy together as a family…especially now that our son Andy is in college.

 

I always enjoy the business aspects of Walt Disney World. There are so many lessons I could talk about, as I look at our experience there on two levels—one of having fun and enjoying the experience with my family, and also noticing how Disney conducts its business.

 

I’ll talk more in the future about that second level, because Disney does a lot of things very well…things that you can also apply to your business. Today’s lesson originated not in the theme parks, though, but rather in the pool…at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

 

It was Sunday evening, our second night at Disney World. The temperature was in the mid 50s, though the water was fortunately much warmer. Typically my children (who must be part polar bear!) insist on swimming the first night. But somehow they waited until Sunday.

 

For some reason, the older I get, the less enthusiastic I am about swimming in what feels like sub-zero conditions. Any more, I’m perfectly content sitting at the side of the pool, heavily dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, a jacket. A bit cold, perhaps, but not freezing.

 

If you have children, you also understand that part of their enthusiasm for the “vacation swim” involves you being in the pool with them. Kids can’t understand why on earth you wouldn’t want to be in the pool.

 

Throughout the evening, I found myself wanting to say “no” to a variety of things that (looking back) were clearly in my best interest to say “yes” to.

 

First, I didn’t want to go in the water at all. Being the “team player” that I am, I reluctantly agreed to swim with my two youngest children. Once I was in, the water was fine, and I was having a great time with Carly and Caleb.

 

But then, Caleb wanted to go down the slide. Of course, that involved getting out of the water, into the now even colder night air. The slide is 20 feet high and 148-foot long. There are probably 40 steps up to the top. Did I mention that the air was cold?

 

Needless to say, we slid down the slide. Then we went down again. Then a third time.

 

After that, the kids wanted to go in the hot tub. Now, that sounded appealing. Thinking ahead, though, I knew we would eventually come back in the pool. Which, on a chilly evening, would mean that the water that once felt warm would feel much cooler after enjoying the 104-degree water in the hot tub.

 

We enjoyed the hot tub, then went back in the pool.

 

In the end, in spite of wanting to say “no” a number of times, I said “yes” again and again. It was the right thing to do under the circumstances. I’ll soon forget how cold it actually was, but I will always remember swimming with my children in the pool at Bay Lake Tower.

 

I could site numerous other “late night swims” we’ve had during cool nights on vacation. They are engrained as tremendously positive experiences not only in my mind, but also in the minds, and memories, of my children.

 

After reading this story, you might find yourself judging my actions related to the experience. You might be one of those dads that is fully engaged, and would never think of not going in the pool in the situation I described above. Or you might think that I’m an idiot for going in the water at all, and perhaps even for allowing my children to swim given the weather. In a more positive light, you might think I’m a pretty great dad for doing what I did.

 

For me, there’s a bigger issue than the swim itself. As I reflected on the great time I had that evening, the following question occurred to me:

 

What are you saying “no” to that you ought say “yes” to?

 

As you plot your course for 2010, I hope you’ll consider this question. Perhaps there’s a decision you’ve been wavering on. Or maybe you’re pursuing a new direction in your career. You might be thinking about starting a new business. This question might also apply to a relationship you’re thinking about starting (or ending).

 

Saying “no” is important, and I’ve written about that before. But for 2010, say “Yes.” To the opportunities that present themselves, both professionally and personally. To the experiences that await you in the coming year. To the possibilities that exist in the world today.

 

Go ahead. Jump in. Say “yes” in 2010.

 

You’ll be glad you did!

 

July 28th 2009You Asked For It

Posted by Brian Bartes

In the past month or so, I received two emails and one letter from readers who wanted to learn more about me. Not “me the success coach”, or “me the personal development expert”, but me the person.

Each letter approached this topic differently. One reader (and a coaching client of mine) recalled that I had once taken my son Andy to the Super Bowl, and had a question related to an article I had written about that experience. The second letter, from a newsletter subscriber, asked about the work that I had done with Brian Tracy and Tony Robbins.

The third was more general in nature. The woman who wrote that email asked why I don’t talk more about my personal life, and about my family. “I know you have four children,” she wrote. “Since you’re all about LifeExcellence, working less and making more, and living a balanced life, why don’t you talk more about your family?”

I appreciate the questions, and I’ve receive similar questions and comments from time to time.

As I thought about those emails and letters, I realized that I’m guilty of something else. I realized that topic selection for newsletter articles and blog posts involves me and my staff coming up with topics that we think are relevant. I hope we are providing useful information (and the feedback we receive indicates that subscribers are getting value from it), but we should probably get more input from you — our clients, customers and newsletter subscribers.

To change things up a bit for August, I’ve created a theme called “You Asked For It.” Over the next few weeks, I would like you to submit questions that I will then respond to. Your questions can be about me, or they can be about anything else you would like to ask (including the areas of business/career, wealth/finance, relationships/family, health/fitness, spiritual/inspirational, etc.)

You may submit your questions in one of three ways:

1. Send an email to info@jwcgroup.com, with “You Asked For It” in the subject line.
2. Fax your question to our office. (734-254-9973, Attn: Marti)
3. Comment on the Work Less, Make More blog.

I’m really looking forward to this, and I hope you will find it useful, too.

So please so submit your questions now… and then in August tune in to read my response to your questions!
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June 5th 2009Welcome to LifeExcellence!

Posted by Brian Bartes

Welcome to LifeExcellence! If you’ are committed to achieving greater success in your life, then this is the place to be! We hope you’ll find lots of information to help you with your business or career, wealth and finance, relationships and family, health and fitness, and spiritual areas of your life. If life balance is important to you, then you’re in the right place. Our motto at LifeExcellence is “constant and never-ending improvement…in every area of your life!”