The Tri Town Times: 7/18/22

• Posted on 18 July 2022
• By Antonio Gonzalez
• Posted in the tri town times
• 0

This Week: John Wooden on doing your best.

Image: Morning climb above Boise.

Hi all,

Weekend race report: 

- Jonas Vingegaard has taken the lead in the Tour de France from two-time Tour champion Tadej Pogacar. Vingegaard currently holds a lead of 2min22sec over Pogacar. 

- Boise native Mateo Jorgenson took his second top-five finish in his debut Tour de France on Stage 13.

Quote that struck a chord: 

"Did I succeed? Yes, but only because I can look at myself in the mirror and honestly say, "I did my best- near 100 percent- to become the best of which I was capable." I am proud of my effort and derive the greatest satisfaction from it." - The great basketball coach, John Wooden. 

I love advice from coaches who have survived the test of time. Wooden coached basketball for 42 years, during which time he refined his approach to coaching to a fine art. His coaching (and leadership) advice was simple, actionable, and devoid of any gimmicks or "hacks". 

At the core of his coaching philosophy was how he defined success. Success, to Wooden, was determined by the quality of the effort, not the scoreboard. His satisfaction in the result had everything to do with his team's effort to be the best they could be, and little to do with the final score. When you prioritize effort, winning or losing is completely secondary. As baseball player George Moriarty once said: 

"Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory." 

If you prepare impeccably, play (race) your heart out, and still get beat, that is acceptable. There is nothing to be disappointed about. You can hold your head high as you walk off the court (or cross the finish line). 

If success it's not based on whether or not we win the game, then when do we fail? As you may have guessed, Wooden had insight on this too:

"You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your weaknesses and mistakes."

Well said. 

As an athlete, coach, and business owner, I found John Wooden's book, Wooden on Leadership, incredibly refreshing and insightful. I believe you will too. 

You can read my book notes here. 

If you have a moment to spare: 

I just don't see this happening... running on all fours (like a dog) as a core and strength workout. 

Train smart, and have a great week! 

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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