“Seeing is believing.” What if unmeasurable gains, compounded growth, are the secret? Soft skills make tough people.
Inspiration
- Underdog stories
- Success despite impairment
- Great teaching
- The power of persistence
Thoroughness
Do the job well. In “Toughness” Jay Bilas shares a story about being asked to change out the contact paper in his sister’s vanity. He did a poor job and his father had to redo it – after a long day at work. His father said nothing. Bilas felt shamed and learned attention to detail.
Don’t cut corners. Don’t skip steps. “Pound the rock.” Nothing will show up until the rock breaks.
Sleep
Shakespeare described, “Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care.”
Sleep “cleans our brains,” consolidates memory, and results in proven better athletic performance. Seek eight hours minimum.
Habit Formation
Positivity
- Enhanced Resilience and Better Pressure Management
- Broadened Perspective for Problem-Solving
- Elevated Performance and Productivity
- A Contagious Culture that Elevates the Whole Team
- Increased Longevity and Personal Well-Being
Patience
Reading
Nobody sees the effort of study invested away from the arena. When my daughters were in a high school, a future D1 coach told me, “they really know how to play.” Have the will to embrace Pete Newell’s mandate for coaches, “Help players see the game.”
When someone asks, “What are you reading today?,” have an answer.
- “True Blue” by David Baldacci
- “Albert Einstein” by Walter Isaacson
Work Ethic
Anson Dorrance saw Mia Hamm training alone in a park on his drive to work. He shared that in his book, “The Vision of a Champion.”
I used to hand out a “mini poster” of this to players.
Service
Serve your family. Serve your teammates. Serve the community. In an era of the “Me Generation,” make others better. Serve by sharing, by leading, by encouraging, by ‘rethinking’, and by giving credit.
Craft your plan and succeed.
Three Best Friends Defensively:
1) Stance: Defensive Stances; on the Ball, in Gap, in Help!
2) Vision: Must see Man & Ball, Key to great Positioning…Moving on Air-Time
3) Voice: Teach our Corporate Language. Must know what to say and when to say it.
ELO: Early – Loud – Often pic.twitter.com/wKQcS10H71— JIM BOONE 🏀 (@CoachJimBoone) June 1, 2026