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Earn the Right to Win: How Success in Any Field Starts with Superior Preparation
Preparation is easy to praise but very hard to master. No modern coach, in any sport, understands that better than NFL veteran Tom Coughlin.
He led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories with his system of relentless preparation and old-school resilience. He teaches his players that you can never guarantee a win, but you can always earn the right to win—with focus, consistency, hard work, and anticipation of obstacles. And if you’ve earned the right to win, you can sleep soundly before a big game and take the field with confidence.
Now Coughlin shares his best advice and anecdotes and shows how they apply beyond the gridiron. His philosophy focuses on mental preparation and consistency in the face of adversity. And his direct, honest wisdom can help leaders in any field rev up their own organizations. Coughlin’s lessons Coughlin illustrates his lessons with previously untold stories about prominent players like Eli Manning, Doug Flutie, and Michael Strahan.
Earn the Right to Win can help you master a winning preparation, smart decision making, and toughness in the face of adversity. It’s a powerful guide for leaders in any kind of organization.
He led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories with his system of relentless preparation and old-school resilience. He teaches his players that you can never guarantee a win, but you can always earn the right to win—with focus, consistency, hard work, and anticipation of obstacles. And if you’ve earned the right to win, you can sleep soundly before a big game and take the field with confidence.
Now Coughlin shares his best advice and anecdotes and shows how they apply beyond the gridiron. His philosophy focuses on mental preparation and consistency in the face of adversity. And his direct, honest wisdom can help leaders in any field rev up their own organizations. Coughlin’s lessons Coughlin illustrates his lessons with previously untold stories about prominent players like Eli Manning, Doug Flutie, and Michael Strahan.
Earn the Right to Win can help you master a winning preparation, smart decision making, and toughness in the face of adversity. It’s a powerful guide for leaders in any kind of organization.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2013
24 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 28, 2024
Words of wisdom from Tom Coughlin that will help you on the field of life; this book looks at how a winning attitude starts with preparation: how much harder are you willing to work on the basics than your opponent is? Great book for a high school athlete who is trying to balance/academics.
December 29, 2016
I just finished reading the best book I've read in a very long time.
I don't tend to put athletes on pedestals because Here, There be Dragons or Tigers or whichever term for danger you prefer. It generally comes to no good end. Celebrities, athletes or otherwise, are just everyday people who live their lives in the spotlight. That's no reason to look up to them unless they show themselves worthy of such attention. I was never sure whether I put coaches in the same category but since he came to the Giants in 2004, I knew there was something special about Tom Coughlin. This book just reinforced that.
If you're a fan of the Giants or Jaguars, and or have read his previous book, A Team to Believe In: Our Journey to the Super Bowl Championship, written following SB 42, some of the material isn't new, but the story it told and the picture it painted about the man was. The story of the transformation in Coughlin's relationship with Michael Strahan has been told a number of times, but not in this detail:
"Tom has since been recognized as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, but at the beginning, our relationship was tough: I hated him. Hate is a strong word, but that's the way I felt. ... When I began adding it all up, I realized, You know what? Maybe I haven't been seeing this guy the right way. Maybe there's more to this guy than I originally believed... We were a family. And if anybody in our family needed help, the rest of us were right there to provide it, knowing that people would be there for us....When I look back on our relationship now, I tell people proudly that I love the man. I love him, and if I could, I would play for him any day. And together, we would win."
And if it was only Michael, it might have been written off as a personality conflict, but there was Fred Taylor too:
"In 1998, at the beginning of my fourth season as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, we drafted running back Fred Taylor in the first round.... We did have some conflicts. In fact, after I left Jacksonville I read several articles in which he said that he really believed I was trying to kill him during that year. In the ensuing years Fed and I had spoken a few times. I'd see him on the field when the Giants played his team, and we'd greeted each other politely. But we didn't have a real conversation until after he retired in 2010, when I ran into Fed and his bother at the annual scouting combine in Indianapolis. I was walking through the lobby when I noticed a crowd of people and a little bit of a commotion. As I looked to see what was going on, Fed spotted me. I stopped to say hello, and we started talking. Finally I got around to asking him about that comment. "I didn't understand what you were trying to do then," he said. "I understand it now. I have great respect for you"... We shook hands and they got into the elevator, but as the doors started closing, Fred said suddenly, "Thank you, I love you." I love you? That was one thing that I wasn't prepared to hear."
People genuinely hated Tom Coughlin, and sometimes I wonder how he was able to get through a day. But somehow he turned the page -- and I think it was more than the conversation with Charles Wray, the meetings with the NY media, the comments from his family. He decided to change -- but I can still see him getting in a fight with a GPS.
It showed in his players too, Manning's preparation and dedication throughout his rookie year and his career -- from fear they were going to make a change and he'd no longer be the starting QB to not wanting to let down Coughlin. And eventually, it almost evolved into Coughlin not wanting to let Manning down:
"When you have hardworking, disciplined people like Eli Manning working for you, why would you ever yell at him, no matter how he has played? He's ten times harder on himself than I'm ever going to be. "
As much as this book is about preparation and leadership, it's about the undercurrent of family. Head coaches and GMs always pay lip service to hating to see a player leave the team -- but I truly think it hurts Tom Coughlin to lose someone from his family. He has been there, even 11 years later, it's clear how much his firing in Jacksonville still hurts him. He's determined not to let that happen again to him -- and wants to help his players through it if it has to happen to them. While he maintains that he doesn't read the sports news, he was clearly aware of the media wanting him gone in 2011. and I can imagine how much it must have hurt him.
The other primary theme throughout the book is pride. Pride in your work, wanting to restore pride to the Giants' organization, wanting to create the RIT & Jacksonville programs with pride. He practices what he preaches. He wanted the 2011 Giants to "finish" and be "all in", he certainly wasn't going to take time off after his hamstring was torn off the bone! He's a taskmaster, but he won't ask the players or coaches to do anything he won't. He wants them to learn the way he learned.
The only thing I really didn't care for in the book was the flow. It jumped around a lot -- and maybe it wasn't meant to be read cover to cover. Each of the chapters really could be freestanding lessons on one of his themes. And the best thing about this book? It doesn't matter at all if you're a Giants fan, a football fan, or you hate sports. The themes in here apply to all walks of life. I said to someone earlier today that I actually thought calling it a sports book was limiting and somewhat cheapening it. It's much more than that.
And to think, the book was on my radar but I had no intention of moving it to the top of Mt. TBR (or reading it in two sittings!), but then I saw a tweet that Coughlin was signing at Barnes & Noble and I decided that was a very good use of lunch. Bought two copies which he signed, and I decided I didn't want to break the spine on my copy so I bought it for my Kindle and read it in two days.
Wow. I'll be reading this again. And if you haven't seen Tom Coughlin: A Football Life, find it and watch it. Another amazing look into the man.
I don't tend to put athletes on pedestals because Here, There be Dragons or Tigers or whichever term for danger you prefer. It generally comes to no good end. Celebrities, athletes or otherwise, are just everyday people who live their lives in the spotlight. That's no reason to look up to them unless they show themselves worthy of such attention. I was never sure whether I put coaches in the same category but since he came to the Giants in 2004, I knew there was something special about Tom Coughlin. This book just reinforced that.
If you're a fan of the Giants or Jaguars, and or have read his previous book, A Team to Believe In: Our Journey to the Super Bowl Championship, written following SB 42, some of the material isn't new, but the story it told and the picture it painted about the man was. The story of the transformation in Coughlin's relationship with Michael Strahan has been told a number of times, but not in this detail:
"Tom has since been recognized as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, but at the beginning, our relationship was tough: I hated him. Hate is a strong word, but that's the way I felt. ... When I began adding it all up, I realized, You know what? Maybe I haven't been seeing this guy the right way. Maybe there's more to this guy than I originally believed... We were a family. And if anybody in our family needed help, the rest of us were right there to provide it, knowing that people would be there for us....When I look back on our relationship now, I tell people proudly that I love the man. I love him, and if I could, I would play for him any day. And together, we would win."
And if it was only Michael, it might have been written off as a personality conflict, but there was Fred Taylor too:
"In 1998, at the beginning of my fourth season as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, we drafted running back Fred Taylor in the first round.... We did have some conflicts. In fact, after I left Jacksonville I read several articles in which he said that he really believed I was trying to kill him during that year. In the ensuing years Fed and I had spoken a few times. I'd see him on the field when the Giants played his team, and we'd greeted each other politely. But we didn't have a real conversation until after he retired in 2010, when I ran into Fed and his bother at the annual scouting combine in Indianapolis. I was walking through the lobby when I noticed a crowd of people and a little bit of a commotion. As I looked to see what was going on, Fed spotted me. I stopped to say hello, and we started talking. Finally I got around to asking him about that comment. "I didn't understand what you were trying to do then," he said. "I understand it now. I have great respect for you"... We shook hands and they got into the elevator, but as the doors started closing, Fred said suddenly, "Thank you, I love you." I love you? That was one thing that I wasn't prepared to hear."
People genuinely hated Tom Coughlin, and sometimes I wonder how he was able to get through a day. But somehow he turned the page -- and I think it was more than the conversation with Charles Wray, the meetings with the NY media, the comments from his family. He decided to change -- but I can still see him getting in a fight with a GPS.
It showed in his players too, Manning's preparation and dedication throughout his rookie year and his career -- from fear they were going to make a change and he'd no longer be the starting QB to not wanting to let down Coughlin. And eventually, it almost evolved into Coughlin not wanting to let Manning down:
"When you have hardworking, disciplined people like Eli Manning working for you, why would you ever yell at him, no matter how he has played? He's ten times harder on himself than I'm ever going to be. "
As much as this book is about preparation and leadership, it's about the undercurrent of family. Head coaches and GMs always pay lip service to hating to see a player leave the team -- but I truly think it hurts Tom Coughlin to lose someone from his family. He has been there, even 11 years later, it's clear how much his firing in Jacksonville still hurts him. He's determined not to let that happen again to him -- and wants to help his players through it if it has to happen to them. While he maintains that he doesn't read the sports news, he was clearly aware of the media wanting him gone in 2011. and I can imagine how much it must have hurt him.
The other primary theme throughout the book is pride. Pride in your work, wanting to restore pride to the Giants' organization, wanting to create the RIT & Jacksonville programs with pride. He practices what he preaches. He wanted the 2011 Giants to "finish" and be "all in", he certainly wasn't going to take time off after his hamstring was torn off the bone! He's a taskmaster, but he won't ask the players or coaches to do anything he won't. He wants them to learn the way he learned.
The only thing I really didn't care for in the book was the flow. It jumped around a lot -- and maybe it wasn't meant to be read cover to cover. Each of the chapters really could be freestanding lessons on one of his themes. And the best thing about this book? It doesn't matter at all if you're a Giants fan, a football fan, or you hate sports. The themes in here apply to all walks of life. I said to someone earlier today that I actually thought calling it a sports book was limiting and somewhat cheapening it. It's much more than that.
And to think, the book was on my radar but I had no intention of moving it to the top of Mt. TBR (or reading it in two sittings!), but then I saw a tweet that Coughlin was signing at Barnes & Noble and I decided that was a very good use of lunch. Bought two copies which he signed, and I decided I didn't want to break the spine on my copy so I bought it for my Kindle and read it in two days.
Wow. I'll be reading this again. And if you haven't seen Tom Coughlin: A Football Life, find it and watch it. Another amazing look into the man.
September 7, 2018
Upon reading the book Earn the right to win by Tom Coughlin. It’s an auto biography about he would to do prepare to win. I found this book and as a giants fan I felt it’s a must read and would recomed this to any body who as coached or played nay sport or needs motivation in anything in life. I really enjoyed how it showed and explained how much preparation went into everything that he did. He also explains through it ow the best people in anything weather sports footballs or anything you want to accomplish the best people are those who are prepared. Through the book it never felt like a chore to read. The book was believable s he talks about games and experiences that he would be involved in and problems that he would face. I really enjoyed this book how ed how new generational players are a lot different to coach than Oderr players it talks about how younger players want a less desipleined and more relaxed pace of practice and don’t nesssasarly respond well to a hard nose coach at first. To me anybody should read this book because it talks about how much work he put in to be the best at his craft and could be used as monivation to maybe prepaid more and that could separate you form the rest. Of all the books and films I read I would say there’s not much comparison in any books I have read. My favorite part in the book is when Micheal Stahan says “ the lessons I’ve learned from him weren’t limited to football they were Applicable to every asspect of my life” this makes me think how he lessons he talks about are very usful and should be used in life. Overall I really likes the book I believe also being a giants fan made it more interesting than maybe if another fan were to read it.
June 23, 2020
Establish the rules and enforce them. Lots of coaches have heard that one. I'm not a big rule guy, but I enjoyed Coughlin's perspective that the player who accepts the rules (for example be early and adhere to the dress code) show the coach that they want to play. I hear a lot of coaches say, "Pull the weeds."
There are two stories I really liked in this book. The first is in a chapter about the importance of detail and scouting. Coughlin tells how an assistant noticed that the Patriots center looked right, then left, and then called pass protection. The center didn't look back to his right. The Giants showed the center one look, and then when the center looked away, they changed and this led to five sacks in the Super Bowl. I appreciate hearing how all that time in preparation can lead to something that can change a game.
The other story I really enjoyed was about how he and his staff prepared practice plans and scouting reports for a whole season for a team that didn't exist. It was the year he was the head coach at Jacksonville before they started play the following year.
Coughlin says each of his assistants have a long research project each offseason.
The year after Coughlin got fired he didn't get a new job but he still went to everything. Coughlin says people would say, "Coach, what are you doing here? You don't have team."
"I will," Coughlin would answer.
The book was probably 40% useful / interesting. There are a lot of quotes from coaches and leaders. It inspired me to get more organized on long term basketball research projects and think toward a master handbook that covers all the details of how a team is run. So those two things make the book reading for me.
There are two stories I really liked in this book. The first is in a chapter about the importance of detail and scouting. Coughlin tells how an assistant noticed that the Patriots center looked right, then left, and then called pass protection. The center didn't look back to his right. The Giants showed the center one look, and then when the center looked away, they changed and this led to five sacks in the Super Bowl. I appreciate hearing how all that time in preparation can lead to something that can change a game.
The other story I really enjoyed was about how he and his staff prepared practice plans and scouting reports for a whole season for a team that didn't exist. It was the year he was the head coach at Jacksonville before they started play the following year.
Coughlin says each of his assistants have a long research project each offseason.
The year after Coughlin got fired he didn't get a new job but he still went to everything. Coughlin says people would say, "Coach, what are you doing here? You don't have team."
"I will," Coughlin would answer.
The book was probably 40% useful / interesting. There are a lot of quotes from coaches and leaders. It inspired me to get more organized on long term basketball research projects and think toward a master handbook that covers all the details of how a team is run. So those two things make the book reading for me.
August 15, 2018
I don't typically read these types of books, this was actually my boyfriend's bathroom reader. I found myself intrigued so I started reading it. Took no time to get through and really was written quite well. He's got some great insight and the writing was actually engaging.
April 1, 2013
TODO
+ a project management book with little theory and lots of practice (behind)
+ describes how several winning programs, from university to pro football, were designed, implemented, and operated
+ a serious, strict man about a serious, strict approach
+ discusses how the strictness has changed over time, as new generations of players have started to expect more lenient approaches to management
+ discusses how delegation of responsibility started to occur
- can such a strict approach, even after multiple relaxations, be used for more creative projects?
- can such an interjecting approach work for non-top teams?
- etc.
+ a project management book with little theory and lots of practice (behind)
+ describes how several winning programs, from university to pro football, were designed, implemented, and operated
+ a serious, strict man about a serious, strict approach
+ discusses how the strictness has changed over time, as new generations of players have started to expect more lenient approaches to management
+ discusses how delegation of responsibility started to occur
- can such a strict approach, even after multiple relaxations, be used for more creative projects?
- can such an interjecting approach work for non-top teams?
- etc.
July 19, 2014
I really enjoyed this book that gave tips on effective leadership. The analogies to sports and running a successful organization like the Giants were fitting and easily understandable for a person with any leadership responsibilities. I borrowed it from the library but I would buy this book as it pertains to any aspect of life, not just football. It also helped that the Giants are my second-favorite team :)
April 5, 2013
I really liked this book.. it reminded me that organized preparation is essential, and that a winning mentality is necessary in order to achieve. I'm not into football so I kind of glossed over all of the technical examples of how things played out on the field, but that was okay. I got a lot out of it.
June 7, 2013
This is a great book for football fans of all ages - you don't have to be a Giants fan to read this book. Some key points: Preparation is so important in all aspects of your life. Using time efficiently, having good time management, paying close attention to details. Establish trust and communication with your team.
April 19, 2018
Simply because I've been a Jacksonville Jaguars since the beginning, and am very glad that Tom Coughlin has his hand in the organization again, this was an enjoyable book just to learn the details behind his methods. It's VERY football specific, despite the marketing as a general leadership, but you probably can take away things to apply to your own life.
March 12, 2013
Currently reading this book now. I am a Giants Fan, but that is not what interested me in this book. I like the way Coughlin
relates his advice and anedotes for winning on the field to simply being a winner in Life!!! Great advice from a Great Man!!!
relates his advice and anedotes for winning on the field to simply being a winner in Life!!! Great advice from a Great Man!!!
June 13, 2013
This is an excellent book. It can be applied to any form of management. I was looking forward to reading this book as a Giants fan, but it is not exclusively a football book. Many of coughlin's philosophies can be used in all walks of life. He is an inspiration.
January 15, 2014
Excellent book helped me realize how much goes into coaching. It helped me in realizing again the need to prepare myself so when something happens I have a good base to go back to. a great book for anyone it is not a football book, football just provides the background
January 17, 2016
Really good book on how important preparation is for success, not only in sports, but in business and life in general. I bought it after seeing a show about Tom Coughlin on NFL Network, then did a search looking more for a biography, but saw this and picked it up. Glad I did.
March 28, 2013
This is a good read if you are seeking to better yourself in any aspect of life.
November 1, 2013
Good book! Encouraged me to be disciplined about everyday life. Good book for athletes of all ages.
June 17, 2013
Great insight into the NFL and very motivational. However, I feel like there were a few too many typos and it distracted me.
June 20, 2013
Good book. A lot of coaching and life concepts that I already subscribe to, thanks to good coaches that I have had. This was a lot like my program for hockey coaching.
January 17, 2014
Inspiring inside look into the mind of a coaching legend.
October 30, 2019
inspiring and motivational. found a few good quotes for my mirror, to remind me that success comes from the 1000 little things
July 11, 2025
Tom Coughlin was a very successful coach in both college and professional football. He spent time as a position coach and as a head coach, as his career culminated with two Super Bowl championships with the New York Giants.
Coughlin worked his way up the coaching ranks and learned what it takes to be successful. His book “Earn the Right to Win” is a compilation of some of what he learned and was able to apply during his career. The book is organized into six chapters:
The first chapter, “Build the Structure”, emphasizes the importance of goal setting; understanding the talent level of your players; creating a structure for your team and organization; the importance of making and enforcing team and organizational rules; resiliency; having personal with good character and delegating responsibility and authority to different people.
The second chapter, “The time of your Life Scheduling” focuses on using time wisely; long term planning; and being prepared for a potential opportunity;
Coughlin explains the importance of details in the book’s third chapter, which is entitled “Success is in the details.” In this chapter, Coughlin writes about statistics; studying the competition; and focusing on even small details. The importance of thoroughness is emphasized in this chapter.
In the fourth chapter, Coughlin addresses “communication.” He discusses the importance of sending “a clear and positive message”; and that “getting upset does not solve the problem.”He explains that getting angry does not necessarily solve things, but being direct is important. He also discusses the importance of establishing trust.
In the fifth chapter, Coughlin talks about motivation and in the sixth chapter he discusses hard work.
Here are 10 takeaways from the book:
1. Tom Coughlin seems like an organized and structured person, who explains how coaching needs to be organized and how being organized can help a team to become successful.
2. Tom Coughlin, like all professional sports coaches, worked hard and put a lot of time and effort into his job. His success and his team’s success was no accident. It happened because of the structure; organization; hard work and dedication of coaches, players and other team employees.
3. Coughlin had a firm set of principles that he has always adhered to. However, he adjusted his approach when he needed to.
4. This is a straightforward and well organized book that any coach at any level would benefit from reading.
5. Much of the information in this book can be applied to other jobs and professions. Success in any job or profession comes from dedication, effort, character and other qualities referred to in this book.
6. Leadership qualities and organizational ability can be developed over time and applied to our own situations. There are different ways to be a leader, and no one personality is better than any other.
7.It is important to surround ourselves with people who share our values and goals. It’s easier to accomplish our goals through teamwork, mutual respect and cooperation.
8. Communication is very important. It is necessary to explain why rules exist and what the purpose of work is.
9. Long term and short term goals are important for a group and for individuals.
10. Winning championships seems to give coaches more credibility, especially when they write books like these.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes football or who wants to apply these qualities to one’s own profession or job.
Coughlin worked his way up the coaching ranks and learned what it takes to be successful. His book “Earn the Right to Win” is a compilation of some of what he learned and was able to apply during his career. The book is organized into six chapters:
The first chapter, “Build the Structure”, emphasizes the importance of goal setting; understanding the talent level of your players; creating a structure for your team and organization; the importance of making and enforcing team and organizational rules; resiliency; having personal with good character and delegating responsibility and authority to different people.
The second chapter, “The time of your Life Scheduling” focuses on using time wisely; long term planning; and being prepared for a potential opportunity;
Coughlin explains the importance of details in the book’s third chapter, which is entitled “Success is in the details.” In this chapter, Coughlin writes about statistics; studying the competition; and focusing on even small details. The importance of thoroughness is emphasized in this chapter.
In the fourth chapter, Coughlin addresses “communication.” He discusses the importance of sending “a clear and positive message”; and that “getting upset does not solve the problem.”He explains that getting angry does not necessarily solve things, but being direct is important. He also discusses the importance of establishing trust.
In the fifth chapter, Coughlin talks about motivation and in the sixth chapter he discusses hard work.
Here are 10 takeaways from the book:
1. Tom Coughlin seems like an organized and structured person, who explains how coaching needs to be organized and how being organized can help a team to become successful.
2. Tom Coughlin, like all professional sports coaches, worked hard and put a lot of time and effort into his job. His success and his team’s success was no accident. It happened because of the structure; organization; hard work and dedication of coaches, players and other team employees.
3. Coughlin had a firm set of principles that he has always adhered to. However, he adjusted his approach when he needed to.
4. This is a straightforward and well organized book that any coach at any level would benefit from reading.
5. Much of the information in this book can be applied to other jobs and professions. Success in any job or profession comes from dedication, effort, character and other qualities referred to in this book.
6. Leadership qualities and organizational ability can be developed over time and applied to our own situations. There are different ways to be a leader, and no one personality is better than any other.
7.It is important to surround ourselves with people who share our values and goals. It’s easier to accomplish our goals through teamwork, mutual respect and cooperation.
8. Communication is very important. It is necessary to explain why rules exist and what the purpose of work is.
9. Long term and short term goals are important for a group and for individuals.
10. Winning championships seems to give coaches more credibility, especially when they write books like these.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes football or who wants to apply these qualities to one’s own profession or job.
July 28, 2022
If you want to take a more disciplined approach in business or in life, then this is a great resource. Coach Coughlin may be "old school" but he is true to himself and his values. It's very clear that this allows him to be an effective communicator as a leader and to positively influence the people he leads. The biggest lessons come from taking a disciplined approach. One of his great quotes is (paraphrased) that you don't create time or make more time, you make the best use of the same time that everyone else has. So good!
November 28, 2021
Enjoyable read and a partial insight into the way Tom Coughlin works, although a lot of the book suggests that the lessons are applicable in any profession I don't personally think that's that case but insightful none the less!
July 8, 2019
A lot of respect for coach. Book read like a lot of small stories crammed together.
April 28, 2021
Good book. Tom doesn’t like to waste time. His brief but effective book on preparation, dedication, and time management will be very helpful to me. He knows what it takes to sacrifice and win.
November 2, 2022
For a career .531 record, the amount of hard work he talked about was very lopsided
March 29, 2023
Good book about the mentality to win!
December 5, 2015
The man is obsessed. One would have to wonder if he ever had a chance to enjoy his success. Good read.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews