Chapter 109 - How Good Do You Want to Be?: A Champion's Tips on How to Lead and Succeed at Work and in Life
Today’s Chapter is based on the book “How Good Do You Want to Be?: A Champion's Tips on How to Lead and Succeed at Work and in Life” by Nick Saban.
Nick Saban is a highly regarded American football coach, known for his exceptional career in college football. He has won a record seven national championships—one with Louisiana State University (LSU) and six with the University of Alabama—making him one of the greatest coaches in the sports history.
Here’s what I learned:
Trust The Process
"We talk a lot about process—not outcome—and trying to consistently take all the best information you can and consistently make good decisions. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, but you reevaluate them all.”
— Sam Hinkie
One of Nick Saban’s central beliefs is that success is rooted in the process rather than merely the outcome. He emphasizes that focusing on the daily actions and steps necessary to achieve goals leads to greater success. As he explains, "In my three decades of coaching, I’ve learned that the process is much more important than the result.”
As a matter of fact, for Saban, success is not about chasing trophies or titles; it’s about committing to and perfecting the daily grind that leads to greatness. He truly believed that results are a natural by-product of the process, not the ultimate goal. To reflect this idea, Saban mentions that the LSU’s 2003 National Champions did not become champions on that day, but started after a devastating loss to Arkansas. As he explained, "Never again would we squander a lead; never again would we be outplayed in the fourth quarter; never again would we be outworked any day of the year. It was then that the championship team was born."
“The win over Oklahoma was simply part of a process that had started four hundred days before, after the loss to Arkansas. It included off-season conditioning, summer workouts, long days in preseason practice, a grueling season, and a long bowl game preparation. Every second of that process led us to the championship.”
— Nick Saban
This mindset of focusing on the process over the result came from Saban’s father who was never satisfied with success. Saban mentioned that his father would often remind him that there was always something he needed to work on. He mentions, “At the time, that was hard for me to understand. But he would look at every play and find something that we could have done better. All our mistakes were opportunities to get better. “It’s not just about the results,” he would tell us. “It’s about perfect execution.””
Similarly, Saban expected the same level of commitment to excellence from his players. He constantly reminded his team to avoid being satisfied by success and to focus on the present. Saban once said, "Every time you think of winning the national championship—stop. Instead, think of what you have to do to dominate your opponent for sixty minutes." Similarly, Saban warned his team to maintain focus on the process regardless of who they were playing against; he mentions, "We try to never look at the schedule or think about it in terms of non-conference, conference, and postseason games. After all, the opponent should never determine your level of competitive spirit."
This is also a reminder to avoid being complacent even in the fact of success. Complacency is the enemy of progress, and a champion's mindset demands a constant striving for perfection. Embrace every challenge, learn from every setback, and never be satisfied with simply being good enough.
“We didn’t talk as a team or as a staff about championships. We simply focused on the process of becoming champions. And that meant approaching every day with the focus and attitude we had sustained for the previous year.”
— Nick Saban
This reminds me of what we have previously learned from Bill Walsh’s leadership philosophy. Similar to Saban, Bill Walsh understood that focusing solely on winning can create undue pressure and lead to suboptimal performance. Instead, he advocated for a concentration on the processes that drive success. Especially at the beginning of his reign as the coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Walsh insisted “to channel the concentration of the 49ers toward improving performance on the field and throughout the organization.”
As a matter of fact, he believed that when teams obsess over their execution and the quality of their thinking, success will inevitably follow. He once said, “I directed our focus less to the prize of victory than to the process of improving—obsessing, perhaps, about the quality of our execution and the content of our thinking.” This approach allows for a sustainable path to achievement, where improved performance becomes the primary goal rather than fleeting victories.
Walsh admits that this is difficult to execute especially due to external pressures, such as media scrutiny or fan expectations which can distract from this focus. Instead, Walsh prioritize the development of skills and fostering a growth mindset; he cultivated an atmosphere where individuals could thrive without the paralyzing fear of failure. His philosophy encourages leaders to cultivate patience and persistence by emphasizing that that the true measure of success lies in continuous improvement rather than immediate results. He believed that when individuals are committed to their processes, the outcomes—both on and off the field—will take care of themselves.
"Consequently, the score wasn’t the crushing issue that overrode everything else; the record didn’t mean as much as the season progressed, because we were immersed in building the inventory of skills, both attitudinal and physical, that would lead to improved execution. That was the key."
— Bill Walsh
Overcoming Adversity
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way"
— Marcus Aurelius
Nick Saban believes that true champions aren’t defined by their victories but by their ability to overcome adversity. As a matter of fact, he mentions that, “one thing about championship teams is that they’re resilient. No matter what is thrown at them, no matter how deep the hole, they find a way to bounce back and overcome adversity."
When explaining the concept of perseverance despite facing adversities, Saban mentions Michael Jordan as the perfect role model. In fact, Michael Jordan’s success wasn’t built on inherent talent alone; it was fueled by an unwavering commitment to his craft and a refusal to let setbacks define him.
“Jordan is the epitome of perseverance. This is a guy who was cut from his high school basketball team but was determined to play the game. What I admire so much about Jordan is his unique ability to put aside mistakes and failures immediately and move on to the next play.”
— Nick Saban
Nick Saban explains that while we cannot control what kind of adversities we will face, we can certainly control the way we react to it. As he mentions, “Failure is a conditioning point that strengthens your resiliency. How you respond to failure and disappointment is important in becoming a champion.” This proactive response to adversity—focusing on what can be controlled rather than being overwhelmed by external pressures—serves as a powerful reminder that setbacks can be transformed into valuable learning experiences.
Similarly, Michael Jordan also faced various failure during his career in basketball. However, he was able to move on and succeed by understanding that some things are outside of his control. In fact, he learned to focus on things he could control which was to give it his best and to make all the work necessary to put himself in a position to succeed.
“I had put in all the work, not only in that particular game, but in practice every day. If I missed, then it wasn't meant to be. That simple. It wasn't because the effort wasn't there. It wasn't because I couldn't make the shot, because I had taken the same shot many times in every situation. As soon as the ball went up, there weren't any nerves because I had trained myself for that situation.
I was as prepared as I could possibly have been for that moment. I couldn't go back and practice a little harder. I knew I had done the right things to prepare myself for that situation. One way or another, I knew I was prepared to be successful. Now, if you know you haven't prepared correctly, or you know you haven't worked hard enough, that's when other thoughts and emotions creep into your mind. That's stress. That's fear.
It's the same process for doing anything, anywhere in life no matter how big or small the stage. Whether it's running a corporation, taking a test in second grade or taking a shot to win a game, at that moment you are the sum total of all the work you have put in, nothing more and nothing less. If you are confident you have done everything possible to prepare yourself, then there is nothing to fear.”
— Michael Jordan
Leadership
“One mark of a leader is his willingness to share information. A great leader is happy to share his knowledge—or, at least, a portion of his knowledge.”
— Alex Ferguson
One of the things we can learn from Nick Saban is his leadership ability. For Saban, leadership is about inspiring others to exceed their potential. To do so, effective communication is a must. He explains that leadership begins with clear vision and expectations. As he once said, "If you have clearly defined who you are and where you want to go, then there is no longer any need for debate about it. From the top managers to entry-level employees, from parents to children, from the head coach to the players, everyone knows what to expect."
As a matter of fact, Saban emphasizes that communication is the foundation of leadership and teamwork. Whether on the field, in the workplace, or at home, effective communication is essential for building relationships, solving problems, and achieving goals. And one of Saban’s key insights is that communication is not just about speaking—it’s about listening. As he once mentioned, “Listening is how you learn, grow, build relationships, and eventually develop an ability to see things from the other perspective—which is critical in decision-making.”
"Especially as a coach or leader, listening is generally far more critical than talking. In fact, some of the best coaches and leaders say very little. They listen to what their employees say and what their bosses say. They don’t just hear them—they listen to them. Make the effort to really listen to those you work with. It will make a difference."
— Nick Saban
Furthermore, Saban believes that the best way for a leader to communicate is by embodying the values they want to instill in their teams. As he explains,"Being a leader is about getting others to do things better than they thought they could. It is about setting a good example, interacting with people, communicating messages, anticipating problems, holding firm to beliefs, and being flexible enough to evaluate and improve all aspects of your organization."
"There are no true leaders in sports, business, or life who are not excellent communicators."
— Nick Saban
This concept of leading my example reminds me of Home Depot’s concept of inverted management. As a matter of fact, the co-founders of Home Depot, Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank made sure to be present in their stores in order to lead their associates by example. They insisted on the principle that they would not ask their associates to do anything they wouldn’t do themselves.
As Marcus explained, “If an associate picked something up off the floor, it was because we did it first. We set the example. Few people ever felt that they were working for somebody. Hopefully, it was more like they were working with somebody. Everything was hand in hand.” This was extremely useful as the time spent at the store was incredibly valuable in order to stay in touch with their business.
“Arthur and I go into stores alone and walk around, talking to customers and associates on the sales floor, learning what’s really important to the Home Depot. I love being there, because that’s where the real action is, not in my office.”
— Bernie Marcus
Beyond the Book
Read "Turning Adversity Into Advantage" by Farnam Street
Listen "433. Nick Saban and How to Follow The Process (REPLAY)" by No Days Off with Brian Gubernick
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