John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach of the UCLA Bruins whom he led to 10 national championships in 12 years, also believed that attention to details created success. He said this:

“I believe in the basics: attention to, and perfection of, tiny details that might commonly be overlooked. They may seem trivial, perhaps even laughable to those who don’t understand, but they aren’t. They are fundamental to your progress in basketball, business, and life. They are the difference between champions and near champions.”

He, for example, at the first basketball practice of the season, taught his players the proper way to put on their socks. He reasoning was sound; if your socks had wrinkles in them it would cause blisters and blisters during a game would hamper a players performance. This was controllable by paying close attention to the process of putting on your socks.

He believed that giving attention to the littlest of details and preparing for those things under your control, was necessary for success.

Success for Coach Wooden was believing that everything had been done to the best of your ability. His father, on the day John graduated from grade school, gave him a card and on it were some guidelines for living. One of those guidelines was to: “make each day your masterpiece.” This, along with our principles, formed the coach’s definition of success:

“Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

After he retired, he was once asked what he missed most about coaching. He said he missed the practices. He loved the process of preparation, even making sure his players put on their socks correctly.

Have you put on your socks correctly?

Have a Great Masonic Day!