Work - Mike Krzyzewski

One of my favorite quotes about hard work was said by one of the greatest coaches of all time, John Wooden. He said, "Nothing will work unless you do." In other words, you can have the best plans, the most perfect offensive and defensive schemes, and even a great amount of talent. But if you and your team are not willing to put in hard work, your plans will never be realized.

Another quote I often share with my players was by NBA legend Jerry West. He said, "You don’t get much done if you only work on the days that you feel good." Hard work cannot be sporadic. It cannot take place only on the sunny days. If you want your best to become a habit, you must engage in intensive, intelligent, and persistent practice. I believe you play like you practice, so when you practice hard every day, playing hard will seem natural when the game is on the line.

A final quote about work that I share with my team is Roger Staubach’s: "Spectacular achievements are always preceded by unspectacular preparation." Hard work is not pretty, or glamorous, or even fun. But, as I learned from my coach Bob Knight, winners prepare to win. Of course, everybody would like to win. But real winners put forth the time and effort to make it happen. And, in fact, by putting in the work, you make yourself worthy of winning. And I truly believe that you will not win consistently unless you are worthy.

I love hard work. It is a staple of all that I do and all that I ask of my teams. A lot of people hear the words “hard work” and say, “Oh, no. I don’t want to do that.” I want to coach kids who hear that they are going to have to work hard and then get excited about how much they will improve as a result.

I grew up in an environment of hard work. My father was an elevator operator in Chicago and my mother scrubbed floors at night at the Chicago Athletic Club. Even if they were sick or tired, they always went to work and worked hard. They truly believed that there was dignity in their work. I attended Catholic schools my whole life, and then West Point, where the lesson was reinforced by my teachers and coaches.