Ten Commandments

High school basketball coaching legend and bonafide basketball genius Bob Hurley offered up what he called his “Ten Commandments” in a clinic, and I thought I’d share. He didn’t say if this was his original work or if taken from somewhere:

1. When a winner makes a mistake, he says, “I was wrong.”
-When a loser makes a mistake, he says, “It wasn’t my fault.”

2. A winner credits good luck for winning, even though it isn’t good luck.
-A loser blames bad luck for losing, even though it wasn’t bad luck.

3. A winner goes through a problem.
-A loser goes around it, but never past it.

4. A winner shows he’s sorry by making up for it.
-A loser says, “I’m sorry,” but does the same thing next time.

5. A winner knows what to fight for and what to compromise on.
-A loser compromises on what he shouldn’t, and fights for what isn’t worth fighting about.

6. A winner says, “I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be.”
-A loser says, “I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.”

7. A winner would rather be admired, more than liked, although he would prefer to be both.
-A loser would rather be liked than admired, and is even willing to pay the price of mild contempt for it.

8. A winner respects those who are superior to him, and tries to learn something from them.
-A loser resents those who are superior to him, and tries to find chinks in their armor.

9. A winner feels responsible for more than his job.
-A loser says, “I only work here.”

10. A winner works harder than a loser and has more time to give.
-A loser is always too busy to do what is necessary.