"Success is not forever, and failure is never final." ~ Don Shula
A man who wrote the book on success--former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula (1930-) won the most games in NFL history (347-173-6).
"My coaching philosophy?" said Shula, a man with the natural ability to lead and motivate others. "Determine your players' talents and give them every weapon to get the most from those talents."
Coach Shula had a 24-hour rule. He allowed everyone on the team a maximum 24 hours after a game to celebrate the thrill of victory or lament a defeat. Twenty-four hours to experience it all. Once the time was up, EVERYONE put the experience behind them and moved on to focus on the next opponent and meet the new challenge.
In 1972, Shula led his team to a perfect season--the only NFL team ever to win every regular season and playoff game. Retiring after the 1995 season, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
"Mental attitude toward winning and losing is key," he admitted. "How you rebound from a setback speaks volumes about who you are. Your attitude makes all the difference."
