Coach K Leading With The Heart Quotes

In order to be a winner, you have to look for ways of getting things done and not for reasons why things can’t be done. People who live with excuses have things that can’t be done hovering around them all the time.

at the heart of character is honesty and integrity.

How does a person show respect for anything? He gives it time.

Nothing demonstrates that you care about people more than spending personal time with them, and the more it's a one-on-one encounter, the better.

My hunger is not for success, it is for excellence. Because when you attain excellence, success just naturally follows.

Are you going to show integrity only when someone is watching you—or are you going to show it all the time?

Fellas, don’t put yourself in a position where you have to cheat. That’s the worst thing you can do as a Duke basketball player. If it happens, you’re going to be punished severely by the school—and I’ll support that punishment, whatever it is. But we should never get to that point. If you just say to me, ‘I’m stuck or I’m in trouble,’ then we’ll work on it together. We’ll be there to help you. But you also have to learn to help yourself.

with exuberance and excitement. You should live the journey. You should live it right. You should live it together. You should live it shared. You should try to make one another better. You should get on one another if somebody’s not doing their part. You should hug one another when they are. You should be disappointed in a loss and exhilarated in a win. It’s all about the journey. It should be honest and it should be real. It’s not about winning games or what other people’s expectations of us may be. We’re not going to fall into the traps that so many people fall into. That’s not why we’re going to play. We’re going to play for innocence. I’m ready. There are no excuses. Let’s go!

Discipline is doing what you are supposed to do in the best possible manner at the time you are supposed to do it.

I never let a person's weakness get in the way of his strength.

You hear, you forget. You see, you remember. You do, you understand.

Leaders should be reliable without being predictable. They should be consistent without being anticipated.

Always respect your competition. Do disrespect your competition is to disrespect yourself.

My hunger is not for success, its for excellence, because when you attain excellence, success just naturally follows.

If you’re always striving to achieve success that is defined by someone else, you’ll always be frustrated. Define your own success.

Friendships, along with love, make life worth living.” —Coach K