UC_Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion
by Pete Carroll
13 popular highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from UC_Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion:
I’ve learned that possibly the greatest detractor from high performance is fear: fear that you are not prepared, fear that you are in over your head, fear that you are not worthy, and ultimately, fear of failure. If you can eliminate that fear—not through arrogance or just wishing difficulties away, but through hard work and preparation—you will put yourself in an incredibly powerful position to take on the challenges you face.
Having a routine can be very powerful in this regard. If you compete day in and day out to excel at something in a systematic way, you can’t help but improve. While
What if my job as a coach isn’t so much to force or coerce performance as it is to create situations where players develop the confidence to set their talents free and pursue their potential to its full extent?
If self-confidence is so important, why would we ever want to approach someone in a manner that might disrupt or shatter it?
A teacher, coach, or manager who knows his learner is able to accurately communicate in a manner that best suits that learner, and the more effectively a leader can communicate his or her expectations, the better the results are going to be.
We want our players to be free of distractions and totally absorbed, ideally just like a child, fascinated with the game itself and not necessarily the outcome.
three years old, I was offered the head coaching job with the
Coach Valvano told me that my goal should be to walk out of the interview with “no negatives.” Every comment, phrase, or story must be positive, and I had to be prepared to talk only about things that put me in the best light. No matter what the topic, it was my job to turn every answer into a response that highlighted my strong points. Like his point guard, who controlled the court, or my middle linebacker, who controlled our defense, I had to control the interview. He taught me that if they asked a question that I couldn’t answer, then I shouldn’t answer it but instead find a way to turn the question to something I could talk about comfortably, positively, and honestly. He explained the importance of being disciplined in that setting and avoiding any and all negative thoughts. If I spoke with positivity and confidence, it would be evident that I believed in myself, and that belief was what the interviewer would be looking for.
that the simple act of making thoughtful, affirmative statements about who we are and what we want to achieve can be an incredibly powerful tool for getting the best possible performance out of ourselves.
Coach Walsh was a great believer in “contingency planning.” His approach was that preparation and practice sessions should be designed so that the performer is trained for all potential outcomes and events. When you plan and train for all possible contingencies, you eliminate surprises and, in turn, eliminate a huge source of doubt that so often make us tighten up.
That’s why I encourage people to spend some time writing down words or phrases that describe their personality traits, values, dreams, goals, and more. I frequently challenge people to write down their personal philosophy as well, or at least give it a try.
ALWAYS COMPETE Always Compete… As you progress through your sporting life… Always Compete. If you want to go for it… Always Compete. You’re gonna have to make choices in life and those choices need to be conscious decisions. There’s only one person in control here, and that person is you… You hold all the cards. You are the master of you. It’s time to admit it… You have always known this. So if you’re ready, act on it… Always Compete. Don’t you dare try to be too cool, don’t you dare be afraid of life, Just “dare to be great,” and let it rip. Always be humble, always be kind, always be respectful… Always Compete. Everything you do counts and screams who you are. There is no hiding from you. Act as if the whole world will know who you are… Always Compete. Be true to yourself and let nothing hold you back. Compete to be the greatest you, and that will always be enough and that will be a lifetime! Always Compete.
I knew that the first step to doing great things was affirming the belief that great things are possible.
