Basketball is a great mystery. You can do everything right. You can have the perfect mix of talent and the best system of offense in the game. You can devise a foolproof defensive strategy and prepare your players for every possible eventuality. But if the players donโt have a sense of oneness as a group, your efforts wonโt pay off. And the bond that unites a team can be so fragile, so elusive.
Phil JacksonNot only is there more to life than basketball, there's a lot more to basketball than basketball.
Phil JacksonA coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.
Phil JacksonAnd yet as a coach, I know that being fixated on winning (or more likely, not losing) is counterproductive, especially when it causes you to lose control of your emotions. Whatโs more, obsessing about winning is a loserโs game: The most we can hope for is to create the best possible conditions for success, then let go of the outcome. The ride is a lot more fun that way.
Phil Jackson