New PN: The Art of Winning
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Lessons from My Life in Footballby Bill Belichick |
“One good game doesn’t mean anything. The only success that matters is sustained success. Embrace dissatisfaction.”BILL BELICHICK |
FROM THE BOOK“Ultimately, my NFL career was centered on one thing, and only one thing: What can I do to help our team win?
We’re going to work, we’re going to be disciplined, and it’s going to be hard. Football is hard. Winning is hard. Life is hard and so is our program. It’s demanding and it’s not for everyone. Neither am I. But to get to the top, and stay there, is close to impossibly hard. So we do hard things. Everyone wants something, but how much pain and sacrifice are you willing to endure to get it? That’s the work part and that’s part of a winning culture.
Above all, do not beat yourself—you cannot win until you keep from losing.
As a head coach, more often than not, helping the team win doesn’t look warm and fuzzy. It looks like work—usually hard work—if you want to outcompete your opponent. In this book, I want to take the reader deep inside my coaching and leadership style and share what I have learned. My philosophy is what led to winning—winning didn’t develop into a philosophy. My philosophy may surprise you at times. At other times it might seem almost strangely obvious. (My rule on how to win football games: score the most points. Job titles and likes on social media do not win football games.)
But this is my playbook. I’m not talking to any TV reporter, and I’m not in the middle of another season of football with its infinite exigencies and requirements of my time. Now I get to explain what I mean, and why I mean it. For many of the principles in The Art of Winning that I’ll share with you, I’ll also share stories to illustrate them. And I don’t have to worry about my words getting clipped into a sound bite or twisted out of context.”
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Brian's Notes
If you’re a football fan, you know who Bill Belichick is.
If you’re not, as per the back flap, Bill Belichick is an eight-time Super Bowl champion. Widely considered the greatest football coach of all time, he is the only Head football coach in NFL history to win six Super Bowls, all with the New England Patriots.
Tom Brady wrote the blurb that’s on the front cover. He says: “Coach Belichick brought out the best in me. His book will do the same for you.”
Other testimonials include Ray Dalio, Admiral William H. McRaven, and Michael Jordan.
Dalio says: “The principles that made Bill Belichick one of the greatest coaches in history are invaluable for anyone trying to succeed in any aspect of life. I urge you to read this book.”
Jordan says: “No one is born great any anything. It takes a lifetime of hard work and dedication. This book tells us about the lessons Coach Belichick learned as he did his job.”
McRaven says: “Whether you are a barista, a coach, a parent, or a CEO, this book will give you the tools you need to be successful. Every leader should read this book—and read it now.”
Now, you can kinda tell when people are just kinda sorta writing blurbs for books vs. when they really mean it. I think those guys really mean it. This book is that good and it’s definitely worth reading—ESPECIALLY if you’re into sports and leadership. (Get a copy here.)
As Dalio would say, Belichick is extraordinarily “believable” as a coach and leader. He’s one of the ALL-TIME greats. Of course, the book is PACKED (!) with Big Ideas. I’m excited to share some of my favorites and help you APPLY the wisdom to your life TODAY. Let’s get to work.
P.S. We have Notes on Ray Dalio’s Principles and Admiral McRaven’s Make Your Bed, The Hero Code, and Conquering Crisis you might enjoy.
Plus, if we’re talking about ALL-TIME great coaches, we need to mention John Wooden. Check out our Notes on Wooden and Wooden on Leadership for more of his wisdom. We also have Notes on another Super Bowl winning coach: Win Forever by Pete Carroll.
Big Ideas
01: WIN ALL THE TIME
02: 1-2-3 THE 49%
03: CONSISTENCY
04: DISCIPLINE
05: CONFIDENCE
“If somebody uses AI to summarize this book down to three essential words, I hope they are: Don’t. Commit. Penalties.”BILL BELICHICK |
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