Understand The Critical Difference Between “Clever” And “Wise” – Another “Live Like A Winner” Tip
There is a critical difference between a clever action and one that is deemed wise. That difference becomes clearly evident when you study consequences, particularly negative ones, over time.
In a classic case of clever action, Pete Carroll, head coach of the powerhouse USC Trojans football team, humiliated his cross-town rival UCLA Bruins with a late-minute surprise pass play, that increase his team’s already insurmountable lead from 14 to 21 points. When asked about his controversial decision, Coach Carroll answered, “Jeremy (assistant coach Jeremy Bates) had the thought. I said, ‘That’s a heck of a call, man.’”
What rubbed salt into the wounded psyche of UCLA was the celebration from the USC players and coaches after the touchdown was scored. One USC player even stuck out his tongue at the UCLA sidelines in an obvious display of taunting. All of this unsportsmanlike conduct was captured on camera for the public to see and for opponents of USC to replay over and over again.
The clever actions of the USC coaches allowed their team to enjoy a short-term jolt of pleasure. And for the weeks following that decision, not a single apology was made in the media by a USC player, coach, or university administrator.
As a result, the consequences of the football team’s actions will automatically come back to haunt them in the future. That’s because a Natural Law of the Universe known as “The Law of Compensation” clearly and succinctly states: For every action, there is a greater or equal reaction.
So in regards to Coach Carroll’s clever decision to punish their already defeated opponent by running up the score, what is the automatic “greater or equal reaction?” The answer is that they inadvertently and unwisely instilled a burning desire for revenge in their cross town rivals which will last for many years to come.
If I was to engage in a conversation with Coach Carroll I’d be sure to ask him, “Have you ever read the book, Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill?” And naturally, I’d expect him to say that he has.
But then I’d follow up his remark by asking, “Do you remember learning about the starting point of all achievement?”
He’d probably get annoyed and ask me what I was getting at.
And here’s what I’d like the opportunity to share with him:
According to Dr. Napoleon Hill, the starting point of all success is desire. And in your last-minute cleverness, you unknowingly gave the UCLA Bruins the missing element to their future success – a burning desire. Up until this point, the Bruins football philosophy had been about turning around their program, becoming competitive, and getting better. But the intensity was never turned up to point of “white hot” desire, as Dr. Hill describes, that can come from experiencing humiliation and seeking revenge.
The memory of that humiliating play and the celebration afterwards will automatically fuel the Bruins through boring off-season conditioning, grueling fall practices, and inevitable challenges that need to be overcome during the season. No longer will it be about becoming competitive or getting better. The heat has been officially turned up several notches to something akin to “Beat the wholly crap out of every single one of those arrogant, front-running USC bastards!”
There is no denying that Coach Pete Carroll of the USC Trojans possesses a clever football mind. He won lots of football games, recruited high-quality players, and turned his school’s program into one of the top in the nation. But this particular action against the UCLA Bruins (and he’s had over 3 weeks to qualify his position on this), shows his lack of awareness between an action that is clever and one that is regarded as wise.
Cleverness may award a person or, in this case, a football team, short-term desirable results. But wisdom recognizes the full spectrum of potential consequences over time. In his exuberance to win, Pete Carroll gave his players and fans another thrill to boost their feelings of superiority over a defeated, inferior opponent. But unfortunately in this case, he has given a precious gift to his bitter rival – the missing “white hot desire” to take them down hard in the future.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Understand and live your life with respect to the Law of Compensation which reads: For every action there is a greater or equal reaction. Think, say and do only things that will bring fruit to your life in the future. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for what you don’t want over time. The Universe makes this automatic no matter who you are or what you do. That’s just the way life works in our world and not to think so would be naïve.
