Good
Before the 2024 season, Texas A&M baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle gave everyone on his team a white hat with one word in maroon letters on the front: "Good."
For the Aggies, "Good" meant to respond to adversity with a positive attitude through the lens of a famous Jocko Willink framework he shared on his podcast. The YouTube video alone has 16 million views.
This is how Jocko explains his Good mental model:
"One of my direct subordinates...one of my guys that worked for me...he would he would call me up or pull me aside with some major problem some issue that was going on and he'd say possibly got this and that and the other thing and I look at him I'd say GOOD.
Finally one day he was telling me about some issue that he was having... some problem and he said 'I already know what you're gonna say.'
I said well what am I going to say...
He said you're gonna say GOOD.
He said that's what you always say when something is wrong and going bad you always just look at me and say GOOD.
I said well yeah when things are going bad there's going to be some good that's going to come from it.
Didn't get the new high-speed gear we wanted...GOOD.
Didn't get promoted this time...GOOD....mission got cancelled...GOOD....
GOOD.
We have the opportunity to figure out a solution...that's it...when things are going bad don't get all bummed out.
Don't get startled.
Don't get frustrated.
If you can say the word GOOD means you're still alive.
It means you're still bleeding and if you're still breathing... now you still got some fight left in you.
So get up.
Dust off.
Reload
Recalibrate
Re-engage
Go out on the attack."
Did you lose a client?
GOOD. Dig in and figure out why and use that to become better at your craft.
Did a business partner not treat you fairly?
GOOD. Figure out what happened and make sure it does not happen again.
Is an employee not pulling their weight?
GOOD. Provide constructive coaching and if that does not work replace them. Either way, you will have a stronger business.
I love this mental model!
Watch the Jocko clip:
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