Mount Vernon High School

A Few General Reminders Legendary basketball coach Bob Knight died this week, and news of his passing brought with it a wide range of commentary and reflection on his life and career from former players, fans, and critics alike. For some, Coach Knight’s confrontational approach complicates his legacy and, sadly, distorts the reality of who he was - one of the great coaches in American sports history. Knight’s military background (he played and coached at Army) earned him the nickname “The General” and played an obvious part in both his leadership style and in his teams' identity. Preparation, toughness, and discipline were woven into their DNA. He wasn't for everyone, but the love and respect so many of his players showed him later in life, and now after his passing, validate their appreciation for a coach who was fully committed to getting the most out of their potential. If you’re here reading along today with a desire to get the most out of your potential, and in the process, to become someone worthy of winning in some important area of your life, then there’s a lot you can learn from Bob Knight’s approach to performance. Here are three short, simple Knight quotes that clarify what he believed mattered most to winning for his teams and, I'm guessing, what he would argue matters most to winning for each of us here today, too. Let’s call them “general” reminders for success… “The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win. Everyone wants to win, but not everyone wants to prepare to win.” The idea of winning is of course pretty attractive for each of us, but Coach Knight’s words reveal the somewhat sobering reality of what winning requires. Wanting to win is important…but common. You can bet that everyone wants to be their best when they step under the bright lights of the big stage. But the champion is unique and set apart in their willingness to prepare to win. That's evident in the commitment they make to practicing, usually alone in the dark, without any recognition or acknowledgement and long before their big moment ever arrives. When we step on the big stage, our preparation creates our separation. “Do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, the best way it can be done…and do it that way every time.” Simply put, our habits define our identity. We are what we repeatedly do. When we elevate our standard of discipline and intention - when we make excellence our habit, like Coach Knight demanded of his players - over and over again every single day, then we validate our identity as a champion and prove, consistently over time, that we are in fact worthy of the winning outcome we're after. Discipline takes our performance to a whole new level. It's the bridge that leads us from where we are to where we want to go. “Mental toughness is to physical as four is to one.” These words illustrate Coach Knight’s conviction that real, authentic achievement isn’t for the weak. And while building your body may be an important part of your pursuit, it pales in comparison to building your brain. We’ve all seen those athletes who have great size and strength and natural ability, but just aren’t equipped mentally and emotionally to reach their potential. We’ve also seen those athletes who are limited physically, but who are so strong and resilient that they just find a way to win. It’s important for each of us to accept that doing anything big and important in life will require some struggles to endure and some adversity to overcome. Today is the day to prepare, so we can respond like champions when those challenges arise. Bob Knight knew what it took for his teams to reach their potential and to win at a high level. It took preparation. It took discipline. It took toughness. I want to challenge and encourage you to recognize the important role each of those qualities plays in your performance today, too, and to keep working to make them a part of your character and your identity. "Generally" speaking, that’s a formula for future success. -Travis