The Early “Success Choice” Offered By Rick Pitino Works For Many…

It’s always interesting to see as chaos happens in certain aspects of business, who rises as a calming or thoughtful voice of reason. Oftentimes it can be thouse who have been through the grinder and emerged the other side as sage leaders who have learned from past mistakes. Sometimes they are opportunitists who reinvent themselves for the moment.

Case in point in college basketball, where from the chaos two of the more sage speakers have been a pair of veteran coaches who have had their share of issues but who have stayed in the game and reinvented themselves yet again on a bold stage, Rick Pitino and John Calipari. In the case of Coach Pitino it has been interesting to oberve the outward leadership presence on being a voice for the game…not without its challenges but always thoughtful.

Not that this is new for Coach Pitino, as I went back to be reminded of some of his early thoughts which I have used to this day.

One I took from an early career book with the award winning writer Bill Reynoldsand I cam back to “Success is a Choice,” that continues to be even more relevant today in a world where every second seems to be pulled in a different direction, and those tasks which can be the more arduous can get shifted into procrastination mode.

“Tackle the difficult things first in the morning; make changes in the way you network. Treat everyone with respect and dignity. This stops you from cynicism and negativity. End your day with that same attitude you started. Renew your contract with a day well completed.”

As a morning person I fully agree with getting the little things done early both positive and negative. I find if I don’t the day gets out of hand and even on the quietest of days those little things…notes, birthdays…get lost in the mix. I am also a believer in not putting off the worst news until later…something isn’t published, a deserving person doesn’t end up on a coveted list, you misprioritized something…get it out and confronted early, don’t let it linger. If someone has a difference of opinion, carefully craft the message and the response early. While some people put off the bad news and hope no one notices…they always notice. Don’t avoid, address. It clears the air and gives you a bigger runway for success. I find this practice is also more impactfuln the further west I go. Getting up early in the midwest or west coast gives me the ability to stay present with the east coast and frees up the end of the day with some time to breathe (although staying up later becomes an issue lol).

The last part of the quote is about renewal and reinvention. While I am not sure how much Coach Pitino has had to reinvent himself…he adjusts, he learns, and he listens, that’s what good coaches and teachers do with those around them, as do great marketers and leaders…he has reframed and reacted positivity  to a marketplace that is decidedly different from what he has been successful at in the past. In a time when coaches and administrators are running from the volatile world of college athletics, for now Rick Pitino has readjusted and in the words of the great Walt Frazier…is surviving and thriving with the Johnnies.

As with any successful person, the man has his detractors for sure. However the lessons in print from decades ago still hold true, and getting things out of the way early and starting fresh and fun, has its advantages.

Let’s see how they hold up in March, but a revisit of a book from the past kept bearing fruit as we turn the calendar. Get it out of the way early for better or worse, the rest of the day is better and much clearer.