Fill our toolboxes...and fill them some more. If needed, get a bigger toolbox or discard some that you find unhelpful or dated.
CLAIM: Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements never goes out of style. Ruiz shares 'timeless wisdom' that improves our lives. We don't have to read the whole book. Understand and embrace the concepts.
The Four Agreements
- Be impeccable with your word.
- Don't take anything personally.
- Don't make assumptions.
- Always do your best.
Be Impeccable with Your Word
Be honest with others and with ourselves. When we're unhappy with our performance or role, own it. Players make out the lineups.
EXAMPLE: Belichick assistant Ernie Adams had a sign on his desk, "Stamp out bad football." Simplify. Stamp out negativity. Be positive. Support the team and your teammates.
Don't Take Anything Personally
Negative or harmful comments to you say everything about the source and nothing about the target. Don't take the pain of the "second arrow," self-inflicted emotion.
EXAMPLE: Coach Ellis Lane kept it simple for us. Any correction that I share with you applies to everyone on the team. If Coach has corrections - e.g. "talk more" or "be intentional with our serves" it's professional not personal.
Being professional means being prepared, punctual, and open to coaching. Everyone makes mistakes. Good players and good teams don't make mental mistakes or repeat physical ones again and again.
Don't Make Assumptions
There is no lineup in May. There is no lineup in June or July. As a junior, late in 1972 in a game against Melrose, I played eight seconds of mop up time. That's slightly better than DNP-CD (did not play - coach's decision). The next year I probably played the most minutes of anyone on the team. Don't presume that 2025 carries over to 2026.
MVB 26 will still be young, but not young and inexperienced. There's no 'guaranteed position' for anyone. That's not 'lip service' to competition.
EXAMPLES: Can you bring more "competitive fury" to the court like Dr. Victoria Crovo or Hannah Brickley?
Always Do Your Best
How you do anything is how you do everything. When your parents hand out chores, do them willingly and well. When you're doing homework, focus, learn, and grow. When you work out, alone or with a teammate, be fully engaged. Your coaches are a lot like Santa Claus - they know who's been bad or good so be good.
EXAMPLE: Mad respect to the players who show up every day, work to win every sprint, every drill, every point. Sometimes that won't be enough to earn a lot of playing time. Respecting a player's work matters.
EXPLANATION: More often than not, you get what you earn.
Lagniappe. Consistency works across sports... release point for pitching, swing path for hitting, free throw mechanics, approach footwork for volleyball, proper steps for quarterback drops... make your toss consistent.
Lagniappe 2. Block better.
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