--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the most important thing about…" description: "\"I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/phil-jackson-4484_accomplish_i-think-the-most-important-thing-about-c_2973429.jpg" --- # I think the most important thing about coaching is that… ![“I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.” quote by Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/phil-jackson-4484_accomplish_i-think-the-most-important-thing-about-c_2973429.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/phil-jackson-4484_accomplish_i-think-the-most-important-thing-about-c_2973429.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/phil-jackson-4484_accomplish_i-think-the-most-important-thing-about-c_2973429.jpg) > “I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.” [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Coaching requires confidence, salesmanship, and inspiring players—especially leaders—to believe in shared goals on the court. **In simple terms:** Coaching needs confidence and persuasion. Key Takeaway Lead with belief and sales skill. Themes leadership confidence motivation Mood confident strategic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - sports management - business leadership - education - public speaking Key Concepts team dynamics psychology sales techniques Questions to Reflect On - How do you build trust? - What sales tactics work in coaching? A Different Perspective Over‑confidence can alienate team members. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) [Accomplish Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish-basketball-3897114/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching/) [Coaching Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching-sense-4589201/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-doing-278114/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Salesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesman/) [Thing Coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-coaching-256322/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/i-think-the-most-important-thing-about-coaching-is-that-you-have-to/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [The big thing about coaching is, however you are, that's how you've got to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/the-big-thing-about-coaching-is-however-you-are-that-s-how-you-ve-got/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [The interesting thing about coaching is that you have to trouble the comfortable, and comfort the troubled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-charlesworth/the-interesting-thing-about-coaching-is-that-you-have-to-trouble-the/) [Ric Charlesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-charlesworth/) > [I've accomplished everything I tried to accomplish in basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-billups/i-ve-accomplished-everything-i-tried-to-accomplish-in-basketball/) [Chauncey Billups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-billups/) > [I've accomplished everything a person can accomplish on a basketball court, but I never thought about the future when I was younger. I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-swoopes/i-ve-accomplished-everything-a-person-can-accomplish-on-a-basketball/) [Sheryl Swoopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-swoopes/) > [The single most important thing in coaching is turning out educated kids who are ready for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-newell/the-single-most-important-thing-in-coaching-is-turning-out-educated/) [Allen Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-newell/) > [“Putting down the power right from the whistle would be ugly and brutal, but it would get the job done. He wanted to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/putting-down-the-power-right-from-the-whistle-would-be-ugly-and/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [The most important thing in coaching is communication. It's not what you say as much as what they absorb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/the-most-important-thing-in-coaching-is-communication-it-s-not-what/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [My favorite thing about coaching? Teaching. Being around young people, just watching a player grow and develop. You know, a young man comes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tubby-smith/my-favorite-thing-about-coaching-teaching-being-around-young-people/) [Tubby Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tubby-smith/) > [Playing football is one thing, but coaching is another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-zola/playing-football-is-one-thing-but-coaching-is-another/) [Gianfranco Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-zola/) > [I never had anything planned, like, 'When I'm 40 I'll be coaching here.' A number of people in our profession have done that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-holmgren/i-never-had-anything-planned-like-when-i-m-40-i-ll-be-coaching-here-a/) [Mike Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-holmgren/) > [I think is about confidence. Is about doing the right things. Is about being healthy. Is not about if I want to work or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-nadal/i-think-is-about-confidence-is-about-doing-the-right-things-is-about/) [Rafael Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-nadal/) > [The 12 years I was in Fleetwood Mac before were not particularly happy years. I was not in a very good place, psychologically, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/the-12-years-i-was-in-fleetwood-mac-before-were-not-particularly/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I'm 4'11", but that doesn't matter if I'm showing conviction and confidence in what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/payal-kadakia/i-m-4-11-but-that-doesn-t-matter-if-i-m-showing-conviction-and/) [Payal Kadakia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/payal-kadakia/) > [If you're a coach, you've got to have a lot of confidence in what you're doing. Your egos are so large that you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bud-grant/if-you-re-a-coach-you-ve-got-to-have-a-lot-of-confidence-in-what-you/) [Bud Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bud-grant/) ## More by Phil Jackson > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [“The unconscious mind is a terrific solver of complex problems when the conscious mind is busy elsewhere or, perhaps better yet, not overtaxed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-unconscious-mind-is-a-terrific-solver-of-complex-problems-when/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [There's a term, agape, you hear used a lot with charismatic religious groups, that it's this more pure love of caring, of sharing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/there-s-a-term-agape-you-hear-used-a-lot-with-charismatic-religious/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [“My confidence grew out of knowing that when the spirit was right and the players were attuned to one another, the game was likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-confidence-grew-out-of-knowing-that-when-the-spirit-was-right-and/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [I don't believe in curfews, because you can't treat men like they were boys without forfeiting a certain level of trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/i-don-t-believe-in-curfews-because-you-can-t-treat-men-like-they-were/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [My philosophy is that you can't motivate players with speeches, you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-philosophy-is-that-you-can-t-motivate-players-with-speeches-you/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [My philosophy is that you don't motivate players with speeches; you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in, and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-philosophy-is-that-you-don-t-motivate-players-with-speeches-you/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [Leadership is not about forcing your will on others. It's about mastering the art of letting go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/leadership-is-not-about-forcing-your-will-on-others-it-s-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [“As a leader your job is to do everything in your power to create the perfect conditions for success by benching your ego and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/as-a-leader-your-job-is-to-do-everything-in-your-power-to-create-the/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [If we can accept whatever hand we've been dealt - no matter how unwelcome - the way to proceed eventually becomes clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/if-we-can-accept-whatever-hand-we-ve-been-dealt-no-matter-how/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [A coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/a-coach-s-main-job-is-to-reawaken-a-spirit-in-which-the-players-can/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [“Zen teacher Lewis Richmond tells the story of hearing Shunryu Suzuki sum up Buddhism in two words. Suzuki had just finished giving a talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/zen-teacher-lewis-richmond-tells-the-story-of-hearing-shunryu-suzuki/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [My mother's families were Mennonites or Anabaptists that came to Minnesota from Russia. They were actually moving around Europe doing diking and lowland reclamation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-mother-s-families-were-mennonites-or-anabaptists-that-came-to/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [The real value in everything you do is in the details. I just like that quote. A very similar way to say the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-real-value-in-everything-you-do-is-in-the-details-i-just-like/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [Coaching is about, "How do I get people to play at their peak level?" It is a spiritual quest. And if it's not that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/coaching-is-about-how-do-i-get-people-to-play-at-their-peak-level-it/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) [Explore all 110 Phil Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) ## More Accomplish quotes > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [God has given believers the responsibility of spreading the Gospel to all the world, and we need to use all at our disposal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-epp/god-has-given-believers-the-responsibility-of-spreading-the-gospel-to/) [Theodore Epp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-epp/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [There's things that you want to accomplish, but to do that you have to work. That's the name of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/there-s-things-that-you-want-to-accomplish-but-to-do-that-you-have-to/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [We have to think about the future and what it is we want to accomplish from this party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/we-have-to-think-about-the-future-and-what-it-is-we-want-to/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [Everything that I have ever hoped to accomplish, she has done and done better than anyone I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/everything-that-i-have-ever-hoped-to-accomplish-she-has-done-and-done/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For what we want to accomplish in the future, we have to be able to view everything from the eyes of the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-katz/for-what-we-want-to-accomplish-in-the-future-we-have-to-be-able-to/) [Karen Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-katz/) > [And for me the only way to live life is to grab the bull by the horns and call up recording studios and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/and-for-me-the-only-way-to-live-life-is-to-grab-the-bull-by-the-horns/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [A great tennis career is something that a 15-year-old normally doesn't have. I hope my example helps other teens believe they can accomplish things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/a-great-tennis-career-is-something-that-a-15-year-old-normally-doesn/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [One should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/one-should-not-withdraw-from-individuals-and-commit-to-the-community/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) [Browse all 2,426 Accomplish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. 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