UCLA ’ s legendary basketball coach John Wooden used to start the fi rst
practice of the season instructing his players on how to put on their
shoes and socks.
William O ’ Neil, the famed investor and founder of Investor ’ s
Business Daily , loves that kind of focus. “ He was trying to eliminate every possible
controllable item that could beat them. ”
It wasn ’ t just the practical guidance so that players could avoid blisters or a
shoe coming untied and forcing the player out of the game. O ’ Neil saw it as
a lesson for anybody trying to succeed. “ Wooden said the difference between a
champion and almost a champion was paying attention to every little detail. ”
Detail. While nobody can match Wooden ’ s record as a college basketball
coach, neither can many businesspeople match William O ’ Neil ’ s investing
career for creativity, performance, and impact.
Or his own attention to detail.