The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life

by Jim Tressel, John C. Maxwell Chris Fabry

book data

34 ratings, 4.18 average rating, 17 reviews (more data...)

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5		38%
4		44%
3		14%
2		2%
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published

July 15th 2008 by Tyndale House Publishers

binding

Hardcover, 304 pages

isbn

141432569X (isbn13: 9781414325699)

description

The Winner's Manual: For the Game of Life shares Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel's "Big Ten" fundamentals for success: Attitude, Disci...more

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07/17/08

Krenzel rated it:

Read in August, 2008

As an Ohio State graduate and huge football fan, I remember being stunned when Coach Jim Tressel was hired as our football coach in 2001. Like a lot of Ohio State fans, I was wondering, who is this guy? Up until being hired at Ohio State, Coach Tressel was hidden in obscurity in Youngstown, quietly winning four national titles there while Ohio State football endured the turmoil of the Cooper years. Seven years after being hired, Coach Tressel is not obscure anymore. To haters, he will always...more As an Ohio State graduate and huge football fan, I remember being stunned when Coach Jim Tressel was hired as our football coach in 2001. Like a lot of Ohio State fans, I was wondering, who is this guy? Up until being hired at Ohio State, Coach Tressel was hidden in obscurity in Youngstown, quietly winning four national titles there while Ohio State football endured the turmoil of the Cooper years. Seven years after being hired, Coach Tressel is not obscure anymore. To haters, he will always be blamed for the Maurice Clarett saga and Troy Smith’s $500 handshake, but for those of us close to the program, we see the three national title game appearances, the four conference championships, the record number of NFL picks, and the scores of all-academic players topping the Big 10 each year. We see the way Coach Tressel cares about his players, how he acts the same whether we win or lose, how he leads a team of 100 kids from diverse backgrounds to act as a team with respect for themselves and others, and it is natural to wonder how he does it. What makes him such a great leader? In "The Winners Manual," Coach Tressel gives insight into the leadership tools he uses to develop and inspire the Ohio State football team – leadership tools anyone can use to better themselves or others in their lives.

The main tool Coach Tressel describes in his book is the "Block O of Life," a step-by-step plan the football team uses to develop as individuals and which we also can use in our own lives. The Block O of Life carefully separates our purpose, or who we are, from our goals, or what we do. Coach Tressel emphasizes that we are not defined by our goals; if we fail at our goals, that doesn’t affect our purpose, who we are, or whether we are "winners." In that spirit, the Block O of Life includes a section on purpose (personal/family, spiritual/moral, and caring/giving considerations) in addition to a section on more conventional goals (health/fitness, our team, and academics/career). The specific Block O of Life goal sheet (which can be downloaded at www.thewinnersmanual.com ) is a tool to use to think about not just our short-term aspirations and what we do but to really think about our purpose and who we are – i.e., a tool to help us in our "journey to success." In defining that elusive term, "success," Coach Tressel borrows from former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden's definition, that success means peace of mind and knowing we did the best we could, but he also expands upon Wooden’s definition to include the group: "Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that come from knowing I did the best I was capable of doing for the group." The true measure of success, then, is not defined by what someone else thinks of us but rather what we think of ourselves and the contribution we make to others – a powerful definition of how we should define ourselves and our lives.

In addition to "The Plan," or the "Block O of Life," Coach Tressel lays out his "Big Ten Fundamentals" we can use to become "winners." These include attitude, discipline, excellence, faith and belief, work, handling adversity and success, love, responsibility, team, and hope. While these may seem trite on the surface, Coach Tressel gives specifics and provides his own meaning for each fundamental, including inspiring quotations and life stories. For example, for the fundamental on attitude, Coach Tressel expands upon the Voltaire quotation, "Paradise is where I am." While many football coaches – and many of us in real life – are always thinking about the next job, or the next rung on the ladder, the truth is that the grass is not always greener on the other side. If we are constantly thinking about how we should have something better, always seeking the perfect life instead of being content with what we actually have, we don’t have the right attitude. Although this is easy to say, it is not easy to live out in real life, but Coach Tressel has in his own life, staying in Division 1-AA when he had the chance to move on to greener pastures: "I tell people all the time that if I were to have coached at Youngstown State for forty years, I would have been as happy as can be. I didn’t have one foot out the door when I was there. I didn’t think somebody else had it better. I was in paradise. If you’re in paradise where you are – not wishing you were someplace else – that’s the right attitude." According to others, Coach Tressel may not have been a winner since he was coaching at a lowly school like Youngstown State, but he was happy where he was at and defined success on his own terms: with the right attitude, he had peace of mind about the contribution he was making to others, and therefore he was a winner.

Using the Block O of Life and Big Ten Fundamentals, Coach Tressel gives insight into leadership skills he has taught the Ohio State players and skills that each of us can apply in our own lives to become "winners." Generally, I have to admit, I hate self-help books, and I only gave "The Winners Manual" a chance because of my deep admiration and respect for Coach Tressel, not only in the wins he has delivered to Ohio State but also the classy fashion in which those wins have been achieved. If I had read this book ten years ago, when I was skeptical and cynical about things like "leadership," it would have been easy to dismiss, but through my life experiences I have seen the impact not only good leaders, but also bad leaders, can have on others. For each of us, in our everyday lives, we make an impact on others. Good leaders are hard to find, but Coach Tressel is one of them, and for those of us, from managers to teachers to coaches, who want to feel good about ourselves and the contribution we make to others to ultimately achieve that elusive goal of having peace of mind, there is a lot to learn from "The Winners Manual. Thanks Coach Tressel, and GO BUCKS!!!
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1 comment

04/28/09

Nancy rated it:

bookshelves: leadership

Read in January, 2009

Basic, common sense approach from a person who knows and has experienced leadership in a challenging setting -- college sports. Great for reminding us of how we should be presenting ourselves as leaders.

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04/28/09

Sue Kelliher rated it:

Actually not about football, but finding purpose and meaning in life no matter what you're calling. Would want any college or high school student to read this, any adult for that matter!

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09/24/08

Rob rated it:

Some good sections and some that I didn't find quite as useful. I would like to have seen more examples from his actual manual than was presented. I did like the focus that Tressel puts on core principles that transcend any industry or career -- faith, family, discipline, integrity. Sadly, you don't often get that viewpoint from business or motivational books often enough. If you like this I would strongly recommend anything from John Maxwell -- 360 degree leader, Talent is Never Enough, etc. --...more

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06/22/09

Matt Corley rated it:

Read in November, 2008

Great book...The stories were good and his principles that he applies to his program are sound and good to live by. The principles can be used in any aspect of life!

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03/09/09

Jake Brockman rated it:

Excellcent text of principals,
You travel through masterful teaching, dialogue, and experience from on of NCAA's most well respected coaches.

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01/07/09

Megan is currently reading it

bookshelves: currently-reading

After Jan. 5th, I had to put this book down. Not sure when I will start reading it again.....

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12/29/08

Kelly rated it:

It's 8:45 and Michigan still sucks.

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01/10/09

Chuck Clemens rated it:

Read in January, 2009

Another GREAT Bucks book

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12/30/08

Erin is currently reading it

bookshelves: currently-reading

Yeah, yeah, more sports.

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06/10/09

Jeff rated it:

Read in June, 2009

Good stuff from a good man

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03/17/09

Brad rated it:

Read in March, 2009

Great book that shows how one coach teaches young men how to be successful in all parts of their life.

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01/26/09

Whitney rated it:

Read in April, 2009

I'm sure this a good book and it's probably the fact that I had to read it for work...yes for work. We have a book club. But I feel like this book was rather repetitive. I usually like books that use regular everyday language but he just used way too many cliches. Eh.

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11/03/08

Jennifer rated it:

Read in October, 2008

This is a self help book of sorts. Plus it also gives an OSU fan deeper insight into Tressel's methods for helping the kids become leaders in life, not just on the field.

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