Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court

A Successful Journey Is the Destination

You know where you’d like to go, whether it’s to a national championship in basketball or a particular goal in your business or life. You must also realize that this goal will be simply a by-product of all the hard work and good thinking you do along the way—your preparation. The preparation is where success is truly found.

Set your compass in a chosen direction and then focus your attention and efforts completely on the journey of preparation. A successful journey becomes your destination and is where your real accomplishment lies.

For example, let’s say Mr. Grigsby owns a company that manufactures shoes. I believe shoes are simply a byproduct for his company. Their real product is the teamwork of people ...