When reporters would ask legendary basketball coach, John Wooden, his secret to winning, his answer would surprise them: he made sure his player’s shoes were tied properly.
But, why the heck are we talking to you about basketball shoes?!
Stay with us for a minute, and we promise it will ALL connect!
For the most decorated college basketball coach of all time, whose UCLA teams won 10 NCAA championships in 12 seasons during the 1960s and 70s, his answer on shoe tying was one that made you perk up and listen. There must be something to his ‘shoelace theory of success.’
When it comes to achieving great things, according to Wooden, it all boils down to the foundation you set, which means focusing on the fundamentals.
So, a solid foundation—tying your shoes properly—was absolutely essential to his and his teams’ victories.
Each season, Wooden would begin the very same way: with a full practice dedicated solely to properly putting on your socks and tying your shoes. His logic was that if, during a big game, you get a blister or your laces come untied because you haven’t properly done the most basic component to the game, you’re going to suffer in some way: be in pain, get injured or be distracted from your main goal: to win. Your foundation is off and in turn, your performance will be as well.
A proper shoelace-tying technique could make the difference between winning and losing—it all starts with the feet: your base or your foundation. Winning the games was a byproduct of focusing on the fundamentals and building from there.
Course One of The Jilly Academy is the equivalent of properly tying your shoelaces.
When you do the work and establish a strong foundation for your business—taking time to understand your WHY, your values, your voice, your mission and vision—you are building your baseline and setting yourself up for success. This is the CORE of your business and what gives your strength in knowing who you are as a business owner.
Trends will come and go, social media will be forever changing its features and algorithms, styles will change, sales may ebb and flow and even your motivation could falter. But when you have clarity on who you are, you will have clarity on your business and your brand. The big moves you make are rooted in the fundamentals, pointing you in the direction you want to go, and above everything else, contribute to sustained success and longevity.
