Why You Should NOT Set Goals and What Really Drives Winning - a Great Video to Share at Preseason Meetings

Great video, I wish the NBA would use this paradigm for its league, since they are paying millions of dollars to these players, NFL could use this model too

Like

Great video. I agree with rap. I have coached teams anywhere from 3rd grade to high school and Brett is right on with his statements. Winning is not everything, the development of the player not only as an athlete but a person is the character which drives the process which drives the result. Professional athletes need to sometimes check their character at the door.

Like

I will use this for my parents' meeting. Coach Ledbetter expresses my thoughts and philosophy but in a much more eloquent and clearer way than I can.

Like

Love the concept. I wonder what the process is to teach these skills? Is there a one method or many? Simon Whitfield of the Canadian Olympic team talk the same way when comparing his Gold medal performance to his 11th place finish. It sounds like it might be a language used in a repetitive fashion that drives habitual behaviours. Thoughts?

Like

I would still comment, as a coach performance skills can be encouraged and possibly developed through process. Moral skills, well I try to instill that everyday as a parent, but as a coach not sure if it is possible in the majority of kids.

So many kids through our program are so set in their ways, and support each other in these flaws. I have found the "Coach Carter" doesn't happen in one season. It has to be a process that grows from your youth programs. It is sad, but there is only limited success that you can gain from older boys in the high school setting. There may be some players that respond and "get it", but to get enough to fill a team is almost impossible. Especially in a small school where 10 players on a varsity team is the entire team.

I would also like to say, that moral traits should be taught and reinforced at home. When a coach tries to teach a moral lesson by disciplining for negative moral action and a parent takes that discipline up with school administration, where does that leave a coach? It leaves them with no ground to stand on. I believe that there is a prevailing issue with society and moral values that we as coaches struggle against more and more every year.

Like

Hector says: 10/20/2015 at 8:33:59 AM I agree with Billy 100% on everything that he said. It is extremely difficult to teach and coach students who's minds are already made up. The issue with the parents is another obstacle in its own. Especially when they want all of the attention focused on their child. They will allow nothing to get in their way. As coaches we are the number one disciplinarians in an athletes life and when parents don't allow us to help them it's hard. Like     login   register

After 25 years teaching and coaching, I can relate to the difficulties and challenges of character development and trying to teach positive morals. For a lot of kids, WE are their "family" and we are their "parents".
I can also testify that many kids won't respond right away to us, and we might never see results. We plant a seed that could grow later though.
There might be a life-changing event later on in their lives when they remember what we tried to teach. Keep plugging away!

Like

I stumbled upon Brett's original video a long time ago (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7a5TIzOmeQ) it is a much longer version than the one presented here. It is also TED talk and it is also "rivetting".

I've been telling everyone I can about these videos ever since. As coaches we are often guilty of overlooking the mental side of the game, it can be daunting. He breaks it down brilliantly.

Like