I’ve been on a John Wooden kick lately. The man certainly was wise. But, my JV practice yesterday reminded me of a Wooden-ism that I found myself blurting out which resulted in a lot of head turns and confused looks:
“Be quick, but don’t hurry”
When you first read it or hear it, it doesn’t make sense. But, when you think about what it truly means, it’s brilliant. We were working on our transition sets. I told my team I want them to run and run often. That may have been a mistake, especially if they’re not used to playing that way. They seemed hurried, passing before a screen was set or a cut was made, and not waiting on screens. Just because I want things done quickly, doesn’t mean I don’t want them to be patient within that quick pace.
As Wooden writes, “It’s a delicate and crucial balance”. When we were hurried yesterday in transition or on offense, we made mistakes. But in the same measure, when a player doesn’t act quick enough, we lose opportunities to score. Learning to do the right things, and make the most of our opportunities, in a quick manner is one thing, but we must learn to do these things under control. All of that comes with time, focus, and practice.
It’s just like in a NASCAR pit during a race. The crew better get done quickly, or else they’re losing their races, and possibly their jobs. But, they better not make a mistake, or they’ll lose time. They have to be under control while doing things at a high rate of speed. The only way that can happen is if they practice again and again at that speed, without rushing the important parts when they’re not comfortable.
The same is true of our personal lives — We must be quick with our opportunities, but we can’t be hurried or pressed. It truly is a delicate balance.
How does this Wooden principle apply to your life or job?
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