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Attitude: Develop a Winning Mindset on and off the Court
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the coach of the 2016 and 2018 NCAA Tournament–winning Villanova University men’s basketball team comes a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a champion, along with lessons from his coaching career and the story of his personal road to success.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG
When Kris Jenkins sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the 2016 NCAA Tournament, it was a victory not just for a team and its coach but for an entire program. In his twentieth season with the Villanova program, including a five-year stint as an assistant to Coach Rollie Massimino, Coach Jay Wright had achieved his lifelong dream—and witnessed the culmination of a decades-long effort to build a culture of winning around a set of core values.
In Attitude, Coach Wright shares some of the leadership secrets that have enabled Villanova, a private university with an undergraduate enrollment of less than 6,500, to thrive in the hypercompetitive world of college athletics. As he recounts the story of the 2015–16 Wildcats, Coach Wright offers anecdotes from his own journey up the ladder of success, with lessons learned on the Little League playing fields of his youth and wisdom passed down from his coaches and mentors.
Each step of Villanova’s journey to a national championship incorporates a signature term torn from Coach Wright’s own motivational playbook. Here are key principles that aspiring leaders can apply, not only on the basketball court but in the boardroom, the classroom, and the living room. From learning to accept your role to remembering to honor those who came before us, Jay Wright’s core values provide a positive blueprint for transformational team building based on the idea that anyone—from the head coach to the last player on the bench—can be a leader when the moment demands it.
The product of a lifetime’s worth of championship-level preparation, Attitude is perfect for anyone looking to build a team, achieve a goal, or nurture their own winning culture.
Praise for Attitude
“Jay Wright’s Attitude is filled with wonderful anecdotes, life lessons, and that which we all wisdom.” —Phil Knight, co-founder and chairman emeritus, Nike
“In 2015–16, Villanova displayed the best attributes of a champion by playing hard, smart, and together. Jay Wright instilled those traits in his team, and in Attitude he shares the universal leadership lessons that helped it succeed.” —Mike Krzyzewski, head coach, Duke University basketball
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG
When Kris Jenkins sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the 2016 NCAA Tournament, it was a victory not just for a team and its coach but for an entire program. In his twentieth season with the Villanova program, including a five-year stint as an assistant to Coach Rollie Massimino, Coach Jay Wright had achieved his lifelong dream—and witnessed the culmination of a decades-long effort to build a culture of winning around a set of core values.
In Attitude, Coach Wright shares some of the leadership secrets that have enabled Villanova, a private university with an undergraduate enrollment of less than 6,500, to thrive in the hypercompetitive world of college athletics. As he recounts the story of the 2015–16 Wildcats, Coach Wright offers anecdotes from his own journey up the ladder of success, with lessons learned on the Little League playing fields of his youth and wisdom passed down from his coaches and mentors.
Each step of Villanova’s journey to a national championship incorporates a signature term torn from Coach Wright’s own motivational playbook. Here are key principles that aspiring leaders can apply, not only on the basketball court but in the boardroom, the classroom, and the living room. From learning to accept your role to remembering to honor those who came before us, Jay Wright’s core values provide a positive blueprint for transformational team building based on the idea that anyone—from the head coach to the last player on the bench—can be a leader when the moment demands it.
The product of a lifetime’s worth of championship-level preparation, Attitude is perfect for anyone looking to build a team, achieve a goal, or nurture their own winning culture.
Praise for Attitude
“Jay Wright’s Attitude is filled with wonderful anecdotes, life lessons, and that which we all wisdom.” —Phil Knight, co-founder and chairman emeritus, Nike
“In 2015–16, Villanova displayed the best attributes of a champion by playing hard, smart, and together. Jay Wright instilled those traits in his team, and in Attitude he shares the universal leadership lessons that helped it succeed.” —Mike Krzyzewski, head coach, Duke University basketball
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 28, 2017
65 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 31, 2017
I never played basketball except when required in gym class. I am a HUGE fan of the Wildcats. Even though I didn't understand all of the technical and strategic information about basketball, I really enjoyed all of the behind the scenes human interest parts of this book. This chronicles the 2015-2016 season. Although I could remember the games, I was still riveted by the descriptions. I like the way Jay included details about current and previous players. I was also lucky to have both Jay Wright and Kris Jenkins sign my book. "Everyone's role is different but their status is the same."
February 15, 2017
Very well done for a sports book. Lots of great advice for technical tips but more importantly, keeping young men mentally and spiritually aware and involved in their day to day lives. No one does this better than Jay Wright. He is so attuned to each guy on his team. Plus, the culture at Villanova supports everything they do. When you watch this team play basketball on TV, you will notice how mature, calm, and focused they look. That takes practice and effort on everyone's part. The addition of Father Rob's encouraging words in this book was a wonderful blessing. Great book. Recommend to all.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced read.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced read.
August 8, 2018
GREAT book for the Nova alum. Enough about recent history and the championship story. Helped that I was down the Jersey Shore for the read
December 13, 2020
You will learn a lot from Jay Wright !!! Also he talks about what goes on during the College Basketball season
February 8, 2023
A solid read for the true basketball fan. A “leadership” book? Not so much. The subtitle should be “A Story of Villanova Basketball, and the run to the 2016 National Championship”.
August 5, 2018
I loved following the team again through that amazing season.
March 19, 2018
When I picked this up, I was not sure if this would be a leadership book, an autobiography, or a basketball book. It turned out to be a little bit of all three but mostly the latter. As a huge fan of college basketball, especially the Big East conference, that didn't bother me.
Jay Wright coached the Villanova Wildcats to an NCAA National Championship in 2016. You can tell when you watch him coach and hear him talk about his team what a great leader he is, but this book really captures what is special about Coach Wright and the Villanova basketball culture.
Jay Wright is what business writer Jim Collins would call a "Level 5 Leader." His is humble but driven. He has worked excessively hard at his craft. He beats blames himself for every mistake made by his organization. However, he constantly gives everyone else in the organization credit for its successes. He never accepts credit for himself.
This book takes you behind the scenes through decades of Wright's coaching career, including his time as an an assistant and head coach at Villanova. You get to find out a lot of things that were said and done behind closed doors when the media wasn't in the locker room.
Throughout these stories, you don't learn a lot about Jay Wright or what makes him great. All he talks about is the greatness of his players, his colleagues, his family, etc. Every example he gives of a leadership concept is demonstrated through a story about the actions of one of those other people. He rarely uses any decisions he made himself as an example of leadership. His approach to talking about leadership is itself a display of his leadership style in that he doesn't make it about himself.
Jay Wright is a model of great leadership in sports and in life. This book demonstrates that, but mostly it is just a fun depiction of the amazing basketball tradition at Villanova and its incredible accomplishments.
Jay Wright coached the Villanova Wildcats to an NCAA National Championship in 2016. You can tell when you watch him coach and hear him talk about his team what a great leader he is, but this book really captures what is special about Coach Wright and the Villanova basketball culture.
Jay Wright is what business writer Jim Collins would call a "Level 5 Leader." His is humble but driven. He has worked excessively hard at his craft. He beats blames himself for every mistake made by his organization. However, he constantly gives everyone else in the organization credit for its successes. He never accepts credit for himself.
This book takes you behind the scenes through decades of Wright's coaching career, including his time as an an assistant and head coach at Villanova. You get to find out a lot of things that were said and done behind closed doors when the media wasn't in the locker room.
Throughout these stories, you don't learn a lot about Jay Wright or what makes him great. All he talks about is the greatness of his players, his colleagues, his family, etc. Every example he gives of a leadership concept is demonstrated through a story about the actions of one of those other people. He rarely uses any decisions he made himself as an example of leadership. His approach to talking about leadership is itself a display of his leadership style in that he doesn't make it about himself.
Jay Wright is a model of great leadership in sports and in life. This book demonstrates that, but mostly it is just a fun depiction of the amazing basketball tradition at Villanova and its incredible accomplishments.
July 13, 2022
This book, written by Coach Wright after winning the 2016 National Championship, was a real joy to read as a college basketball fan. It was also great to read about how deep he feels connected to Villanova which after falling short during the Final Four in 2022 he made the decision to retire as Head Coach in order to pursue a new chapter as a Special Assistant to the President of Villanova the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. There is a lot in this book about the deliberate effort from Coach Wright to build such a strong culture within the Villanova Men's Basketball Program, including the strong attachment to those players and coaches of earlier generations - none more so than legendary Villanova Head Coach Rollie Massimino. The anecdotes on recruiting were very interesting as was the description of: “What is a Villanova guard? In our minds, he’s skilled enough to handle the basketball – pass or shoot it. He can make plays for his teammates or create a shot for himself. On defense, he’s tenacious and eager to battle with his opponent no matter if he is 5’ 10” or 6’10”.
August 18, 2017
Obviously I'm a little biased but this was one of the best books I have ever read. Yes, the majority of the book focuses on Villanova basketball... but even if you're not a fan there are still invaluable lessons, suggestions, and stories to get out of this book. I still get chills reading about the 2015-2016 season since it meant so much to me and my family, but I also enjoyed learning about leadership skills and core values. I'm more proud than ever to be a Villanovan after reading this book, and I'm excited to apply the lessons in my workplace and any future athletic endeavors. I have so much respect for Coach Wright and he is one of my favorite figures in sports. This book embodies everything it means to be a leader and a champion, all while being humble and focused. Literally love this book.
December 1, 2019
Coach Wright shares some excellent insights on leadership skills on and off the court. Attitude is the foundation for all that we do.
- On praise: Treat it like perfume. It's okay to sniff it, but never drink it.
- Generate positive ripples: Simple gestures can go a long way (e.g., encouraging words, public compliments).
- Stay connected: Lean on each other. Trust one another. Come together to work towards one goal.
- Invest in a caring culture: Emphasize positivity, energy and empathy.
- Embrace hardships and find something beneficial from it: Sometimes you have to endure losses to make significant gains. Example: The medical doctor who has consecutive sleepless nights during her residency, the parent holding down multiple jobs to provide a better life for you.
- On praise: Treat it like perfume. It's okay to sniff it, but never drink it.
- Generate positive ripples: Simple gestures can go a long way (e.g., encouraging words, public compliments).
- Stay connected: Lean on each other. Trust one another. Come together to work towards one goal.
- Invest in a caring culture: Emphasize positivity, energy and empathy.
- Embrace hardships and find something beneficial from it: Sometimes you have to endure losses to make significant gains. Example: The medical doctor who has consecutive sleepless nights during her residency, the parent holding down multiple jobs to provide a better life for you.
May 2, 2021
Decent book, i picked up this book after Villanova won the NCAA championship. They had a saying called "Attitude". When they were down late in the game, they made a late game-winning shot.
They talked about saying Attitude in the huddle and how this was a culture.
The book was about that team. Starting 4 years back from the championship. A little goes into the coach's background. However, I was not a major fan of Villanova. If I was, I am sure I would have loved this book because I would have had a relationship with the players and the coach. But I thought the story itself was mundane. a typical story of a basketball season.
Its a good book but not about the culture I thought it was going to be about. The lessons presented seemed a little force.
They talked about saying Attitude in the huddle and how this was a culture.
The book was about that team. Starting 4 years back from the championship. A little goes into the coach's background. However, I was not a major fan of Villanova. If I was, I am sure I would have loved this book because I would have had a relationship with the players and the coach. But I thought the story itself was mundane. a typical story of a basketball season.
Its a good book but not about the culture I thought it was going to be about. The lessons presented seemed a little force.
June 22, 2019
I stopped halfway through. This book (at least 2/3 of the way through) is more like a retrospective journal of a few seasons of Villanova Bball. It's well written and if I were a Vilanova fan it would be a hard 5 stars - but I'm not.
It doesn't have the life lessons or one liners that I am accustomed to from other coach written books. If you are looking for a generally inspiring book by a coach look for Wins, Losses, and Lessons by Lou Holtz.
If you are looking for a book about Villanova winning some Natty's - then you'll really like this one.
I do like Jay Wright and the team better for having read it, but I won't be reading it again.
It doesn't have the life lessons or one liners that I am accustomed to from other coach written books. If you are looking for a generally inspiring book by a coach look for Wins, Losses, and Lessons by Lou Holtz.
If you are looking for a book about Villanova winning some Natty's - then you'll really like this one.
I do like Jay Wright and the team better for having read it, but I won't be reading it again.
January 7, 2024
This book is very Tim-Tebow. I’m using “Tim-Tebow” as an adjective here to mean “really nice and wholesome and great and also slightly boring.” I once tried to read Tim Tebow’s memoir because I think he’s a genuinely great human being, but I found it to be so cliched that I had to put it down. Jay Wright’s book is a little more interesting and a little less preachy. The bottom line for me is that the world is a better place because of people like Jay Wright. But at the same time, the book at times reads like a homily, and man oh man once your homily runs over 5 minutes I start getting restless.
March 25, 2018
I thought this book was a very informative great story about the Villanova wildcats basketball team. It takes the reader through the ups and downs of their fantastic season. This book talks about the teamwork needed to become successful is the NCAA. I really loved everything about it. From the recruitment process to the hard losses the book really explains the great season this team had. It is a truly great book that even non basketball fans would enjoy and I recommend it to anyone who likes sports.
August 27, 2020
Solid book about the 2016 Nova championship team and the steps Jay Wright took building the program. Jay uses a lot of cliches and tropes, but comes off as humble, genuine and authentic. He is one of the most respected coaches in the game and has built his legacy the right way, lifting up all of those around him before taking any credit. It makes this book almost a little too boring how much he praises the “behind the scenes” individuals and unfortunately doesn’t give many interesting details from the year or his life.
March 30, 2022
This one is marketed as a leadership book, but it really is an account of the Villanova national championship season of 2015-16. There's a few leadership blurbs / insets every few pages, but those seem like afterthoughts that aren't strongly connected to the accounts within these pages. Instead, this book would be better-described as an inside look at the makings of a national champion, with in-depth recollections of how each game played out along the way. If you're a Villanova fan, this is going to be a 5-star book for you.
April 20, 2023
Don't let the three star rating fool you: I really enjoyed this one! A fun, casual read that gets three stars from me only because I found it to be less of a leadership/attitude related topical book and more of a chronicle of the 2015-2016 Villanova basketball season. Knowing the course of that season, this book was fun to read! I do wish it got more into the head or heart of Jay's coaching philosophy, leadership style, etc., but even so, still a good book.
May 8, 2018
A great read for any leader of young people in addition to basketball enthusiasts. Jay Wright details how he has built a culture of accountability and care at Villanova...which ultimately led to winning the national title. Wright makes it clear that winning the title was never the pinnacle of coaching or team building and details what he most values in his players.
April 12, 2019
3.5 stars. I was hoping that this book would have a little more coaching development/advice, but it was mostly the story of their championship season with words of wisdom sprinkled in. The story was engaging and read well. He name dropped often, which was annoying at times. Overall, a pretty cool peek into a successful program.
April 17, 2022
This book is a great book if you are looking to improve your mindset. Wright talks about how it takes a lot of practice to develop the right mindset and how once you have it, you can succeed in any field of life. Great read especially if you love hearing about the inside stories of the basketball team as well.
September 15, 2022
This book was a nice journey along Villanova’s championship season. I had much respect for the basketball program as a whole under Jay’s leadership and that has only grown after reading this book. Though it is not one I’ll keep I did enjoy learning about the ins and outs of this Villanova program and their season and what a championship attitude and leadership look like.
May 14, 2024
Overall I enjoyed the book and there are some valuable lessons to be learned in it. However, in an age where I can watch nearly any historic sporting event on demand via YouTube I find it a bit frustrating when so much of a book is just play-by-play of games. It makes it feel like filler because the author lacked anything else of substance to write about.
November 23, 2019
Really good. It is not a typical self help book. It is told in a series of short stories that help illustrate the principles Jay believes are important as a leader and coach. It was enjoyable to read and hard to put down.
March 28, 2021
Only read the first and last chapter because I was looking for behind the scenes nuggets from the 2016 championship game.
Coach Wright writes like he speaks - humble, sincere, and authentic. "Attitude" is the foundation of his coaching philosophy, resulting in championships in 2016 and 2018. More importantly, his players graduate. Even when faced with a recruiting and benefits scandal (2001-2003), the program accepted responsibility, took its punishment, and has been clean ever since.
Coach Wright writes like he speaks - humble, sincere, and authentic. "Attitude" is the foundation of his coaching philosophy, resulting in championships in 2016 and 2018. More importantly, his players graduate. Even when faced with a recruiting and benefits scandal (2001-2003), the program accepted responsibility, took its punishment, and has been clean ever since.
September 13, 2022
I came away from the book with an impression that Coach Wright is a legitimately good guy, and I’ll have more interest in following his teams in the future. But overall the book didn’t do a whole lot for me.
April 20, 2024
Wish he would have dived more I to how he developed his culture. Basically this is just a recap of his program and season and their journey in getting to the championship game with culture aspects sprinkled in.
May 16, 2017
A Must Read for All Villanova Fans! Check out page 140.
June 8, 2017
A great read for Villanova fans only. It makes you really appreciate the Villanova community.
September 15, 2017
This a great book especially for fans of Villanova basketball. As a fan of nova it was great to read off court stories off players that you just saw on the court. It was also fun to recall the memories of the national championship game against UNC. It clearly showed how good of a coach Jay Wright is. Overall this was one of the best books I have read in recent memory.
August 6, 2018
Really well written book. Great messages throughout the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews