Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. -Albert Einstein
Our character is who we truly are. It has nothing to do with our reputation, accolades, or how we are perceived. It is our core being, and when we have good character, we will succeed over the long haul and live a worthwhile life. Living with good character makes the world better for having us which is the truest measure of our success. People of high character win, and those with poor character lose. It may not happen right away, but our character eventually determines our fate in life.
Character is an action word. We are what we demonstrate. When we serve with a humble heart and lift others up, we set ourselves and everyone around us up to live championship lives. Good character is tough and allows us to face anything that comes at us with courage and confidence. We can adapt and adjust in any situation life throws at us. By choosing to do the right thing and striving to be a person of good character, success will be the by-product and we will make a difference in the lives of those around us.
Character starts with confidence and the knowledge that when we do right, good things will come from it. Deep rooted confidence comes from the knowledge that true prosperity will come from our merit. We know that we are born to succeed, and as champions, we will find a way to succeed in big moments because it is ingrained in our character to do the work. Being at our best when our best is needed is a result of the actions that come from having true confidence. Confidence to be sure footed in big moments comes from deciding to win and taking responsibility for our actions to prepare for greatness.
In taking responsibility for our actions, champions never make excuses. In our football program, the first lesson we teach new players is that the “Buck Stops Here.” President Truman used this motto for accountability, and it serves us well. Excuses are the tools of losers. Winners accept responsibility in every situation and for every action. Accountability for our actions is the only way that we grow and the most telling example of our true character. It is natural for us to look for answers when things go wrong. We have to make sure that we look inwardly first when things aren’t the way we want them. It is easy to blame others or disregard the small issues that add up, bring us down and keep us from continuing success. At the end of the day, we will either have reasons or results. Being accountable and eliminating excuses is how we achieve continual positive results and build our character.
Win with PMA is all about prospering with merit and becoming a person of substance and high character. I tell our coaches to never sell your soul to win a football game because that win will lead to bigger failure. Winning without honor and merit is a short term fix, and bigger problems come to us when we compromise our principles to get what we want.Lasting success will take us more time to achieve, but our character and resolve will be strong because of the struggle. John Wooden coached UCLA for over a decade before he led his program to its first national championship. He did things right, and when success came to the program, they sustained it to become one of the most powerful programs in the history of sports. They did this because they prospered by merit and earned everything they got by never taking shortcuts.
Win with PMA 