Notes and Quotes

Wisdom from a preacher and a comedian’s father

I took note of a few items that came my way over the past couple of weeks and spotted a common theme.

John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist Church. He was born in 1703 and lived to be 87. I saw this quote on June 28, his birthday:

“The longer I live, the larger allowances I make for human infirmities. I exact more from myself, and less from others. Go thou and do likewise!”

Hold yourself to high standards, but be kind to others who won’t or can’t meet them. That’s a good rule of thumb. Everyone is on their own path, not yours.

But sometimes, you’re on a team. Or you’re leading a team. Teams have goals. Not all team members have the same abilities, but they have to blend together.

College basketball broadcaster Jay Bilas talked about Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K) on a recent Soup With Coop episode. Bilas, who played for him, says Coach K isn’t as patient as he may appear. When an issue comes up, “he doesn’t let it go. If it’s a small thing he’ll address it right away so it doesn’t become a big thing,”

What’s another word for “small thing?”

A detail. To achieve team goals, details matter. Famous national brands got that way, at least initially, through a commitment to quality. Duke is the biggest “brand” in college basketball.