Learning Across Disciplines, Borrow from Howard Marks

Don't rediscover the wheel. Use it and learn from its developers. The best advice is seldom new.

Consider this, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle usually gets credit, but perhaps Will Durant deserves it. 

Today, I share six quotes from investment guru Howard Marks' book, "The Most Important Thing Illuminated." Change investment to coaching or work. 

Don't get caught by, "if only." If only I studied more, practiced harder, listened to the coach. 

Don't expect magic beans. Coaches measure players looking for athleticism (cash), skill (assets), and performance (results).  
 

Other forces like attitude and short-term slumps distort value in the short term. "She had a bad game." Short-term weakness can mean opportunity. That's also counsel to beware 'sample size'. 

In most sports, teams fluctuate from highs to lows. That's true for the Patriots recently. Melrose volleyball hasn't been as susceptible to wide performance swings because of coaching stability and culture. 

It takes uncommon skill to evaluate, acquire, and train quality players (e.g. assets) over long periods. 

 Coaches have 'sharp pencils' when evaluating talent. Spotting size and athleticism are easier than identifying will and persistence to transform potential into performance. As an example, Coach Scott Celli recognized Rachel Johnson's aptitude for blocking early on. She became a critical member of teams that won multiple sectional titles and a state championship. 

I've asked Coach Celli how long it can take to identify the next new thing. Once he told me about a player, "five minutes." 

Lagniappe. Ball skills are perishable. Train to maintain and build skills.