Simple Truths: What Makes the Great Ones Great

DON YAEGER

What makes the

GREAT ONES

GREAT •

16 Characteristics of a Champion • an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 1

10/9/14 3:43 PM

Copyright © 2015 by Don Yaeger Cover and internal design © 2015 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Sourcebooks, the colophon, and Simple Truths are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—­except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—­without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. Editing by: Alice Patenaude Photo Credits Cover: front, Bread and Butter/Getty Images; back, antpkr/Thinkstock, Siarhei Makhnach/Thinkstock Internals: page 1, Bread and Butter/Getty Images; pages 2–3, Robert Adrian Hillman/Thinkstock; pages 4–5, Irina Tischenko/Thinkstock; pages 6–7, antpkr/Thinkstock, Siarhei Makhnach/Thinkstock; page 6, Robert Adrian Hillman/Thinkstock; page 9, Fuse/Thinkstock; pages 12–13, javarman3/Thinkstock; page 23, alehnia/Thinkstock; page 28, Lane V. Erickson/Shutterstock; page 33, jordanmurph/Thinkstock; page 35, armo.rs/Thinkstock; page 36, Brocreative/Shutterstock; page 39, spxChrome/Getty Images; pages 40–41, cookelma/Thinkstock; page 50, Glen Jones/Shutterstock; page 55, Cio/Shutterstock; page 66, Comstock/Thinkstock; page 71, icsnaps/Shutterstock; page 85, Jupiterimages/Thinkstock; page 88, bikeriderlondon/Shutterstock; page 91, armo.rs/Thinkstock; page 92, Oktay Ortakcioglu/Getty Images; page 105, Alan Thornton/Getty Images; page 107, Brocreative/Shutterstock; pages 108–109, MichaelSvoboda/iStock Published by Simple Truths, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-­4410 (630) 961-­3900 Fax: (630) 961-­2168 www.sourcebooks.com Printed and bound in China.

LEO 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 2

10/9/14 3:43 PM

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 3

10/9/14 3:43 PM

CHAPTER 1

The

Greatness Story

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 4

10/9/14 3:43 PM

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 5

10/9/14 3:43 PM

I

f you believe that success leaves clues, then you understand why successful people seek the clues of others.

It was May 1984. I had graduated from college and was looking forward to my first job, newspaper reporter for the San Antonio Light, determined to make an impact in the world.

I had stopped for a couple of days at my parents’ home in Indianapolis before heading to Texas to begin my new 6

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 6

10/9/14 3:43 PM

life and career. Shortly before leaving, my father and I had a life-­changing conversation.

“By choosing to be a journalist,” he said, “you are going to end up in the presence of some of the most incredible people in history. You’ll get that chance in sports, business, and politics. While interviewing them, make sure that there is always a moment where you learn something that is of value to you. Always find a moment where you ask them a question that allows you to grow.”

It was profound advice that would change my life. My father was essentially telling me to find something that I could take away from the Great individuals with whom I would cross paths and then use their lessons to take myself somewhere special.

7

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 7

10/9/14 3:43 PM

After carefully considering my father’s challenge, my questions to the exceptional, high performers I interviewed became “What allowed you to do what others could not? Can you name a characteristic that gave you an advantage?”

Over the last thirty years, I have asked those questions to more than 2,500 people, including some of the Greatest winners of all time. Throughout my career as a sportswriter and author, I have not only witnessed incredible skill, but I have also had countless worldclass athletes share with me the behaviors they have embraced, honed, and utilized to drive themselves to unimaginable heights. I wanted to know how they were able to do what they did for so long and how they stayed ahead of their competition year after year.

8

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 8

10/9/14 3:43 PM

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 9

10/9/14 3:43 PM

T his became a long-running discussion on what makes the Great ones Great.

Greatness is unique in that it cannot be quantified the way other statistics in sports can. Numbers are irrefutable proof of a record, such as Kareem AbdulJabbar’s accomplishment as the highest scorer in NBA history or the undefeated record of the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

But does the achievement of those numbers make them the Greatest?

10

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 10

10/9/14 3:43 PM

During my interviews, it appeared to me that the truly Great athletes practiced a small set of behaviors that made them dramatically better from their peers. These improvements drove their daily decisions, and the ever-­ so-­slight differences were enough to give them an edge in their ultracompetitive professions.

Even the smallest bit of additional training or preparation can change everything. But what exactly are those small changes that can impact an individual’s performance so considerably? Are they merely physical, or are they gained through intensive mental and emotional discipline? From this perspective, true Greatness is much harder to define than numbers or finishing times—­because it is so much deeper than any professional ranking or record.

11

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 11

10/9/14 3:43 PM

Taking the answers from the Greatest

winners of our generation, I compiled sixteen characteristics of Greatness that can be translated into anyone’s life: 1. Hating to lose more than loving to win.

2. Appreciating the value of association.

3. Placing faith in a higher power.

4. Having contagious enthusiasm.

5. Preparing for all possibilities.

6. Having no off-­season.

12

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 12

10/9/14 3:43 PM

7. Visualizing victory.

8. Using adversity as fuel.

9. Being a responsible risk-足t aker.

10. Knowing how and when to make adjustments.

11. Becoming the ultimate teammate.

12. Being motivated by more than money.

13. Doing right by others.

14. Living with integrity.

15. Being a role model.

16. Creating a well-足rounded legacy.

13

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 13

10/9/14 3:43 PM

T hose sixteen can be grouped under four pillars:

Ӷ

How Great winners think

Ӷ

How Great winners prepare

Ӷ

How Great winners work

Ӷ

How Great winners live

14

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 14

10/9/14 3:44 PM

A constant within these characteristics is that those who shared them were worried less about being Great than pursuing Greatness. They understood that Greatness is a journey, not a destination. It is in the chase of this principle that character develops and in that development that the routines, thoughts, and actions of Greatness begin to appear.

This is a “doing” list, a series of behaviors. The quest for Greatness does not happen through wishing or through comfort and shortcuts. Greatness is both the goal and by-­product of its own pursuit.

When I began this journey, I was hoping to find a secret formula that separated the talented, notable, attention-­ grabbing, or flashy from the athletes who seemed to have something more. What I realized is that it wasn’t about a secret formula. It was about doing common things uncommonly well.

15

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 15

10/9/14 3:44 PM

So what makes the Great ones Great?

Among those I interviewed, almost none of them gave credit to their physical gifts; there was always someone bigger, faster, and stronger than they were. Instead, the Great ones credited daily discipline and appreciation for what they had achieved—and an even Greater desire to do more. This mind-set defies human nature. Most people achieve some level of success and are satisfied with their place, but the truly Great achieve that same level of success and then ask, “What’s next?”

My mentor, legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, who had an incredible impact on my life, once said to me, “If you didn’t have to work to get something,

16

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 16

10/9/14 3:44 PM

it probably wasn’t worth getting.” This is also true of Greatness: if it were easy to obtain, it wouldn’t be Great—it would be commonplace.

If Great athletes, past and present, seek to consistently exhibit certain traits, then perhaps there is something in these ideas that can be applied to each of us. In this book, I am looking forward to sharing with you four of the more impactful lessons some of these Great winners provided that helped me understand what it means to be Great and how these characteristics can have a place in your life, as well.

17

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 17

10/9/14 3:44 PM

CHAPTER 2

How Great

W inners Think

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 18

10/9/14 3:44 PM

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 19

10/9/14 3:44 PM

T

he pursuit of Greatness begins with having the right perspective. By studying and applying Great thinking, we can better understand the mindset that lays the foundation for Great doing. The ďŹ rst pillar of Greatness is concerned with the way Great winners think, which encompasses:

20

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 20

10/9/14 3:44 PM

ӶӶ Hating to lose more than loving to win. They develop this mind-­set by making no excuses when things don’t go their way. ӶӶ Appreciating the value of association. They understand the importance of their inner circle. ӶӶ Placing faith in a higher power. They have a perspective on life, which is driven by an understanding of something bigger than themselves. ӶӶ Having contagious enthusiasm. Their attitudes are infectious, and they want theirs to be caught by others.

21

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 21

10/9/14 3:44 PM

There is always a public fascination with how an athlete keeps his or her body in top physical condition, but the fascination should be on an athlete’s mind, attitude, and spirit. When pursuing Greatness, consider the way you think.

22

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 22

10/9/14 3:44 PM

W hat are your beliefs?

H ow do you react to the situations around you?

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 23

10/9/14 3:44 PM

When I think of a takeaway moment in how Great winners think, at the top of my list would have to be a conversation I had with Coach John Wooden—the Greatest coach of all time.

Wooden was an intuitive leader and a man of immaculate character. Throughout his last twelve years as head coach at UCLA, he led the Bruins men’s basketball team to an unbelievable ten national championships. He coached—and developed—some of the finest talent in college basketball, many of whom became NBA stars.

Wooden had a lifetime of advice on what makes the Great ones Great. I had an opportunity to share with

24

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 24

10/9/14 3:44 PM

him this list of the sixteen characteristics of Greatness one day, and his reaction was that outside of hating to lose—­which he agreed was the first and most important characteristic of a Great winner—­the second most essential characteristic he saw in Great winners was an understanding that an individual is “only as good as the team around them.”

One of the most important things Coach looked for when examining a person’s capacity for success was who that person included in their inner circle. “Their associations told me everything I needed to know about them,” he explained. “I could tell what their future held by how important it was to surround themselves with the right people.”

25

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 25

10/9/14 3:44 PM

Coach went on to illustrate the value of association with a story about someone he described as “one of the Greatest players I ever coached.” I immediately thought I was about to hear a story about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Bill Walton or one of the other legendary players he coached. But Wooden smiled and said, “Do you know the story of Swen Nater?" Despite being an avid basketball fan, I had not.

Swen Nater was born in the Netherlands, orphaned, and ultimately raised in Southern California. He grew to nearly seven feet tall. Although Nater had little passion for basketball, everyone encouraged him to play because of his height. However, he was so lanky and awkward that he failed to make his high school team.

26

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 26

10/9/14 3:45 PM

A few years later, a coach from Cypress Community College approached Nater, noting that it was not easy to find seven-­footers around town, and asked him if he would try basketball one more time. In exchange, the coach offered a free education, and Nater signed up.

Who knows why it happens later for some people than others, but Nater—­now a little older and more physically mature—­grew from a kid who couldn’t make his high school basketball team to one of the top five junior college centers in all of America. His game drew the attention of numerous four-­year schools with premier basketball programs.

27

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 27

10/9/14 3:45 PM

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 28

10/9/14 3:45 PM

As Nater was comparing his offers, his coach at Cypress suggested they give John Wooden a call. The Bruins had just won their fifth consecutive national championship, and Nater laughed at the unlikely chance to play for the team, but he finally agreed and listened in as his coach crafted one of the Greatest sales calls of all time.

“It appears you have one scholarship left for next year, and I have your player sitting right here,” the Cypress coach said to Wooden.

Wooden was baffled. He asked the coach what made him so sure. The answer surprised him. “Coach Wooden, here’s your problem: As I look at your roster, you have one of the best players in the country starting

29

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 29

10/9/14 3:45 PM

at center for you next year, Bill Walton. But what you don’t have is anyone big enough to compete against Bill Walton…in practice! You need my big guy to make your big guy work harder every day to get better.”

The value of association immediately made sense to Wooden as he considered this pitch. What Walton needed to push him to his maximum potential was someone who could match him and challenge him every single day. Walton, Nater, the Bruins—all would be made better if these two players became a key part of the other’s inner circle. After the pitch from the community college

30

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 30

10/9/14 3:45 PM

coach, Wooden was so convinced of the wisdom of this philosophy that he offered Nater the last remaining scholarship to play for UCLA. Nater understood that taking this role would mean he would hardly see any playing time during games and certainly would not start, but his presence mattered.

Nater was willing to spend his senior college career in a supporting role in order to push against the best and to surround himself with others who would build him up.

Once at UCLA, he played with heart and drive and, as a result, grew daily as a player.

31

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 31

10/9/14 3:45 PM

“I know I was brought to UCLA to make Bill Walton better,” Nater once said to me. “But while pushing him, the most amazing thing happened: I got better too.”

When Walton, as a senior, was primed to be the first choice overall in the NBA draft, all of the team scouts and reporters asked him the same questions: Who pushed you the hardest? Who made you work? Walton didn’t mention any headline-grabbing players. Instead, he motioned down the practice court and said his Greatest challenge came from Nater.

As a result, Nater—a little-known player—became the first-ever first round NBA draft pick never to have started a senior college basketball game.

32

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 32

10/9/14 3:45 PM

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 33

10/9/14 3:45 PM

Wooden cherished this story because he understood that the value of association is an important step to achieving Greatness. He told me that Walton and Nater became Greater because they associated with each other. He told me that the Great winners are those who surround themselves with excellence, allowing others to challenge them to become better themselves. Wooden looked at me that day and offered this powerful quote: “You will never outperform your inner circle. If you want to achieve at a higher level, then always be in the improvement of your inner circle.�

If you want to know what your opportunity for Greatness is, then look at the people you have around you in your personal and professional lives.

34

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 34

10/9/14 3:45 PM

The lesson was clear, and I understood why he declared Nater as one of the Greatest players he had ever coached.

Nater could have gone to another school, played more, and maybe even been a star—but he associated himself with the best he could find, and in doing so, everyone got better.

35

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 35

10/9/14 3:45 PM

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 36

10/9/14 3:45 PM

Despite never starting a college game, Nater went on to play professional basketball for twelve years before becoming an executive at Costco. To this day, Nater says that associating with Wooden and Walton was the best decision he ever made, even as Wooden and Walton still regard Nater with tremendous admiration.

Who is in your inner circle? Are they challenging and encouraging you? Do you actively seek out people and experiences that will stretch your abilities? Evaluate who can help you to be your best, to reach your full potential.

Do not be content with just being good—always be driven to be, and to be around, better.

37

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 37

10/9/14 3:46 PM

Greatness surrounds itself with Greatness. It is your duty to find those people who push you to improve, even as you return the favor to them; good-natured rivalry teaches us to work harder, celebrate others, and always keep looking ahead. We owe it to ourselves to take the opportunity to rub elbows with those who aspire to true Greatness. And if you happen to be one of those star players in your field, it is your responsibility to accept the invitation to teach others, to help them learn, and to challenge them to improve daily, just as Walton pushed Nater.

38

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 38

10/9/14 3:46 PM

It is not how good you are when you arrive— it’s what you learn from those around you that helps you grow. Accept the challenge.

WhatMakeTheGreatOnesGreat_INTERNALS_FinalQC.indd 39

10/9/14 3:46 PM