Earlier this week, I heard Bob Stoops speaking about achieving success and winning.  For those of you that don’t know, Stoops is the head coach of the University of Oklahoma football team. 

During his ten years at Oklahoma, he has won 109 of 123 games, the most wins by any Division 1-A school during that period.  He also led the Sooners to become the 2000 BCS National Champions.

I’m a graduate and fan of Oklahoma State University, a rival of Oklahoma, but even I have to admit that Coach Stoops’ winning record is impressive.  Obviously, Stoops knows what it takes to win and he knows how to motivate others to achieve success.  I believe we all can learn from his wisdom.

Three things Stoops said it takes to be a winner

Winning doesn’t just happen by chance.  It also isn’t just about talent.  There are plenty of talented people out there that don’t end up successful in their field.  I think Stoops hit on three things in his talk that are key to being a winner.  Here they are:

1.  Have a well-prepared plan

Football teams spend a lot of time preparing for each game.  They practice, analyze the other team, watch films, memorize plays and decide on a game plan.  But, Stoops emphasized that he asks for a lot more than that.  He stresses to his coaches that everything they do should have a thought out purpose.

He believes that the more thorough the plan, the better chance they have to win.  They plan meetings.  They plan what they want to say.  They plan how they are going to plan. 

Preparation has become almost a religion in the University of Oklahoma football program.  This is what has made them winners.  They don’t wing it.  They plan for every eventuality.

In football, as in life, you have a limited amount of time to prepare.  You can’t waste a single minute.  You have to use your time wisely.  This level of preparation and planning is what separates the shining stars from those left in the shadows.

2.  Start with great expectations

You must set the bar high to achieve great things.  A leader must cast a grand vision to lead his team to victory.  He’s got to stick his neck out and show that he believes they can win and win big!

Stoops doesn’t begin the season telling his players that they’ll play the first few games to see how things go and then decide on their goals for post-season play.  No, he starts with great expectations.  He sets the bar high and paints a crystal-clear picture for his players and coaches of where he wants them to be at the end of the season.

Coach Stoops knows that you have to start with great expectations and then even if you fall a little short, you’ve accomplished something big.

3.  Refuse to use excuses

Finally, you’ve got to reject any and all excuses for failure.  Stoops said that they are out there everywhere and often they are so tempting to accept.

It would be easy for Stoops to say, “We lost because our star running back was injured” or “We lost because of a bad call from the official.”  Often the fans and the media would buy these and let the team off the hook for not winning, but where would that leave them?  As losers, that’s where.

Stoops stressed that in football and everything else in life, if you want to be a winner, then you have to work through the hard times.  You’ve got to put your nose to the grindstone and press your way to the other side.  It takes hard work and perseverance to be a winner.

Once you start using excuses to cover up your mistakes and rationalize away your failures, you have started down a slippery slope leading only to Loserville!

Follow Stoops advice and be a winner in life!

I was very impressed with what Coach Stoops had to say.  These three things really stuck with me.  I believe they are a big part of what has helped the University of Oklahoma win so many football games.  But, more importantly, I think we can follow his advice to become winners ourselves!

What part of Stoops’ winning strategy can you use most in your life?

 Photo by Billy A