I hated to lose.

The thing I loved the most - and still love the most about teaching - is that you can connect with an individual or a group, and see that individual or group exceed their limits.

I try to see each new season as a new challenge because I have a new team to work with, new opponents to encounter, and often new ideas and theories to try.

Don’t let a single game break your heart.

Once you win a National Championship, how do you do that again? How do you get the passion to do that again? We won it again right away, the next year. A lot of it had to do with the fact that I didn’t give myself an opportunity to enjoy the first one.

My mom gave me unconditional support and unfailing love. You can’t get any better than that. That’s why I’ve never been afraid to lose.

When you cleanse yourself of a big victory, you may open yourself up to the opportunity for an even bigger victory.

For a college basketball player or coach, to reach the Final Four is la-la land. You’ve achieved, you’ve got your stamp of approval. My first team to do that was in 1986. Then we did it in ’88, ’89 and ’90.

When I had troubles, I’d go out with basketball – you can do it by yourself, too. So you’d go out and shoot, and you’d fantasize.

Mutual commitment helps overcome the fear of failure – especially when people are part of a team sharing and achieving goals. It also sets the stage for open dialogue and honest conversation.