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CONSIDER THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS BEFORE YOUR OWN FEELINGS, AND THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS BEFORE YOUR OWN RIGHTS
This famous quote of Coach Wooden’s summarizes the way he believed we should all treat each other. Acting in this manner requires many great character traits.
One of Coach Wooden’s favorite authors was Wilferd Peterson, who in his book The Art of Living, described some of these qualities:
Courtesy: Courtesy is the wisdom to know that we should love before we think and think before we act.
Empathy: Through empathy, a person learns not to judge others in terms of his own personal interest, likes and dislikes, but in terms of what life means to them.
Tolerance: Tolerance prevents prejudice and resentment. It may reject the argument, but it always respects the person.
Love: Love is the perfect antidote that floods the mind to wash away hatred, jealousy, resentment, anxiety and fear.
In his book The Wisdom of Wooden, with Steve Jamison, Coach discussed how his belief that we should: Consider the rights of others before our own feelings, and the feelings of others before our own rights; impacted the way he approached the different religious beliefs of his players:
I am a Christian. Over our years together, Nellie and I found the greatest strength and hope in our faith. We shared it with our children, and they with their children. But I also respect those whose faith is different from mine.
Thus, I was not particularly concerned with what religious beliefs my student - athletes held, although I did want them to believe in something, because it can make you a better person. I told them, “Have a faith, a religion, and know why you believe in it. Stand up for those beliefs, but respect the rights of others to believe in their own faith.”
What kind of a person has no creed, no faith, no moral compass guiding them? What kind of person forces their faith on others?
At the core of all great religions, in one form or another, is the exhortation to love our fellow man. Whether you’re a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, or Muslim, it’s important to always keep that in mind. Too many forget this basic tenet of their faith.
Yours in Coaching,
Craig Impelman
Twitter: @woodenswisdom
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COACH'S
Favorite Poetry
AND PROSE
The Night Before Christmas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a luster of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Clement Clarke Moore
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