John Wooden Leaves Legacy of Applying Positive Psychology For Success

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden, who created a powerhouse at UCLA where he was head coach from 1948 until 1975, died Friday at the age of 99.  Wooden was a powerfully successful coach, leading teams to 10 national championships in 12 years, 4 perfect seasons, and an 88-game winning streak in the early 1970s.

It’s surely too much to credit all of Wooden’s success to a single piece of paper, but proponents of positive psychology will note with pleasure that Wooden kept with him throughout his adult life a piece of paper with set of positive principles for happiness, written by his father.

The pithy message read:  “Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day.”

Wooden’s father, a farmer who lost his farm while his son John was in high school, certainly had excuses not to look on the bright side of things.  His legacy of advice to his son, though, embraced the ideals of positive psychology in remarkable ways.  Focused on helping his son flourish and find fulfillment rather than just weathering storms, Wooden’s father even used the language of artistry to describe life.  Don’t just live each day, make it a masterpiece.  Don’t just look for friends, make friendship a fine art.

This short message, so cherished by his successful son, encapsulates many of the central principles of positive psychology:  mindfulness in daily life and the character strengths of creativity, love of learning, integrity, zest, love, social intelligence, leadership, and appreciation of beauty and excellence.

Considered from the point of view of Maslow’s hierarchy, only the last piece of advice (“Build a shelter against a rainy day”) focuses on the need for security.  The rest of the note focuses on building a life of enjoyment and engagement.

Wooden’s life story and positive philosophy of living can be found in several biographical books, including A Game Plan for Life and in optimistic children’s books Wooden co-wrote, including Inch and Miles and Adventure Underground.