Jason Garrett: Faith and Ethics Interview @ Princeton

While watching one of my kids playing in one of their soccer games, my father-in-law mention this interview that Jason Garrett recently did at his alma mater, Princeton Unversity.  He said that Jason Garrett talked about how hard on him some of his former coaches were.  He talked about how much he hated coaches that allowed him to be mediocre - coaches that just tell you that you are doing great all of the time.  Garrett said that coaches can change lives by holding their athletes to high standards and by teaching them what excellence is and teaching them how to strive for it each and everyday.  Be relentless and shape and mold them everyday.  Don’t let them be ‘okay.’  Do everything that you can to make them the best that they can be.  Believe in them enough to hold them to the highest standard everyday.

Garrett talks more in the interview about football, faith, leadership, and his personal sermon - be your best.  Here is the video and below the video are the notes that I took from the interview:

10:30

Life and football are all about adversity.  You will get knocked down, but how can you respond and bounce back?  One of his favorite quotes is the old Japanese proverb, 'Fall down 7 times, get up 8.'

12:00

Everything in life is about learning how to function as a part of a team and  working together: family, school, work etc is all about learning how to work with others and being a part of a team.  There are very few things in life that we do by ourselves, so we have to learn how to work with others and be great teammates.

16:00

Hate coaches who allow you to be mediocre; coaches that just tell you that you are doing great all of the time.  Change their lives by holding your athletes to a high standard and teach them what excellence is and teach them how to strive for it each and everyday.  Be relentless and shape and mold them everyday.  Don’t let them be ‘okay.’  Do everything that you can to make them the best that they can be.  Believe in them enough to hold them to the highest standard everyday.

19:00 

The greatest gift that you can give in life is believing in someone more than they believe in themselves, and instill that belief in them.  Life is full of new experience that can bring nervousness, anxiety and fear, so our job is to instill belief in others and give them the tools to have success.

20:00

If you hit a home run or strike out, put the bat back the right way - no matter the outcome.  Fall down seven times and get back up eight.  You are going to have successes and failures, but you have to keep coming back with the same spirit.

21:00

Coach the man first and player second.  Even grown men playing professional football are still growing.  We are all still growing and going through issues in life that we need guidance and help with.  If your life isn’t right, you can’t be the best football player that you want to be.  It all goes back to respect and belief.

24:00

We have to tell the same story - give the same message - about being your best every week.  So we have to find new and creative ways to say the same thing over and over.

29:00

The one sermon he gives is about being your best.  Pray and work to have the mental and physical strength to do your best no matter what your circumstance.

48:00

There was a boy throwing star fish in the ocean after a storm.  A women came up and saw what he was doing and said that there were too many star fish for him to make a difference.  He pick up one star fish, threw it into the ocean, and said that he made a difference right there.

If there are 300 kids in a camp or 800 kids in a school, if you can make a difference in one persons life, then you have done something special.

52:00

Don’t ask pro athletes for an autograph, ask them about a story about life.  They were once in your shoes, so learn from their experience.  Spend 5 minutes with Dak Prescott and he can have a big impact on your life.

55:00

Be your best.  There is a difference between trying your best and being your best.  Being your best is all about preparation and mental and physical toughness.  We will fall short, we will fail, but fall down 7 times and get up 8.

It’s about character and ethics and how you show up.