John Wooden and character

John Wooden, coach of the UCLA Bruins basketball team, was probably the greatest coach who ever lived. I was thinking about him the other day when I came across an article about his father and the importance of character.

He said that ever since he was very young his father would say to him, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation." His dad went on to explain that your character is what you really are. Your reputation is merely how you are perceived by others.

We can live for years behind the façade, with no one suspecting who we really are. We can pretend to have integrity while living a lie. But this façade will eventually crumble. And if our true character is exposed in the form of sexual immorality, ethical corruption, dishonesty, substance abuse or moral cowardice, it can cost us a lot.

Wooden's father wrote out a creed for him to follow, and he carried this with him for years. Eventually the paper began to crumble, so Wooden made copies for himself and others. This became what he called the Seven-Point Creed. Here it is:

*Be true to yourself.
*Make each day your masterpiece.
*Help others.
*Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
*Make friendship a fine art.
*Build a shelter against a rainy day.
*Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

There's obviously nothing new or startling in that list. But think how much better our lives would be if we tried to accomplish these things. I realize it's not time for a New Year's resolution, but any day is the right time to live a richer life.