Tell the Best Version of Your Story, "One More"

"Little things make big things happen." - John Wooden

People are "the storytelling animal." The Heath Brothers shared the importance of storytelling in their book, "Made to Stick." Stories stick. They informed the acronym "SUCCESS"

• Simple
• Unexpected
• Concrete 
• Credible
• Emotional 
• Stories 

People will remember your great stories. 

Ten years ago in Middle School Travel Basketball, we were playing Stoneham on the back end of a home and home weekend series. One problem. We would miss Samantha Dewey, who had a family obligation. Sam is a senior at the University of Richmond.

Sam and Emily Hudson were our height. Otherwise we were small.

The rivalry with Stoneham was bitter. Enough about that. We wanted to win both ends of the weekend, having narrowly won Saturday.

Losing our best player put us at a big disadvantage. Sam was a tall, powerful athlete and a devastating rebounder.

Before the game, the message to the players was simple, "One more." Everyone, "Get one more rebound. Do that, you win."

In competitive matches, small differences decide the outcome. 

• One more block per set. 
• One more serve into an alley or at the weaker defender. 
• One more dig that prevents a kill. 
• One more reception that translates to "pass, set, hit." 
• One more assist on an "out of system" ball. 
• One more cover of a blocked attack. 
• One more attack as a cut shot or to a deep corner or line. 

Legendary basketball coach Bob Knight taught, "don't ask players to do what they can't do." "One more." 

Lagniappe. Your Takeaway

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip and Dan Heath is one of the most useful books ever written about communication, persuasion, and leadership messaging.

Their “SUCCESS” acronym — Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories — provides the backbone, but beneath it are deeper value points that explain why ideas stick and how to make them resonate in classrooms, locker rooms, or boardrooms.
Here are five key value takeaways beyond the acronym itself:

1. Simplicity is about essence, not dumbing down.

• The Heaths stress: “Find the core of the idea.”
  Simplicity doesn’t mean oversimplifying; it means prioritizing what matters most and discarding what doesn’t.

• Sticky ideas have a commander’s intent — a guiding principle that shapes every decision even when plans fail.
  Value: In coaching or teaching, clarity beats complexity. A single guiding phrase — “Be the change,” “The Standard is the Standard,” — outlasts pages of strategy.

2. Surprise is the gateway to attention.

• The “Unexpected” element triggers curiosity by breaking patterns.
  Our brains tune out predictability; they light up when expectations are violated.

• The trick: generate curiosity gaps — raise a question, then close it.
  Value: Start with a moment that unsettles complacency — a shocking stat, a quote, or a visual. In a huddle or classroom, surprise opens the door for learning.

3. Concreteness anchors memory.

• Abstract ideas die quickly; concrete imagery makes ideas tangible.

• Saying “our defense has to be glue” or “we need to rebound like it’s rent due tomorrow” sticks more than “we need consistency.”

• The Heaths quote a teacher: “If you can’t picture it, you can’t remember it.”
  Value: Use visuals, metaphors, and actions. Teams remember vivid stories — not PowerPoints.

4. Credibility comes from authenticity and specificity.

• People believe what they can see, count, or feel, not what they’re told.

• Credibility can come from authority (Coach Wooden said...) or from detail (“We forced 22 turnovers”).

• Even better: let people test the claim themselves. “Try this drill and feel the difference.”
  Value: Proof beats persuasion. In coaching, show improvement, don’t just predict it.

5. Emotion and story are the glue of persuasion.

• Logic makes people think; emotion makes them act.

• Stories are “flight simulators for the mind” — letting listeners experience the idea, not just hear it.

• The Heaths note that inspiration without a story is fleeting; stories give emotion a structure that memory can hold.
  Value: Frame messages through people and moments — not data alone. “Remember the 2024 Wakefield match?” communicates more than “We played hard.”

Summary: Why “Made to Stick” endures

Principle	Core Value
Simple	Clarity creates alignment.
Unexpected	Surprise awakens curiosity.
Concrete	Imagery cements memory.
Credible	Specifics build trust.
Emotional	Feeling drives behavior.
Stories	Narrative delivers permanence.

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In short, Made to Stick teaches that ideas don’t spread because they’re smart — they spread because they’re shaped for human minds.
For a coach, educator, or leader, that’s the ultimate reminder: how you say it matters as much as what you say.