🏉🏈 Two books. Same title. Totally different playbooks
I've just finished reading The Art of Winning by Dan Carter (All Blacks legend) and The Art of Winning (based on Bill Belichick, NFL coaching mastermind). Same name, but very different philosophies on what it takes to win – and keep winning. Both are brilliant. Both offer lessons worth taking into business, sport, and life. But here’s the key contrast: ·
Carter talks about legacy, humility, purpose – winning from the inside-out. ·
Belichick drills down on systems, discipline, adaptability – winning from the outside-in.
They both land on similar truths:
✅ Discipline beats motivation
✅ Teams beat egos
✅ Preparation is everything
But they come at it from totally different angles – one a deeply reflective player, the other a strategic and uncompromising coach. If you're building a high-performing team (in sport or business), there’s gold in both.
🧠 Carter gives you mindset and meaning.
🔧 Belichick gives you systems and execution.
I’ve put together a comparison of their 10 core principles
1. Play with purpose (Carter) → Do your job, know your role (Belichick)
2. Discipline beats motivation (Carter) → Structure and systems win (Belichick)
3. Lead with humility and self-awareness (Carter) → No ego, no exceptions (Belichick)
4. Consistency over intensity (Carter) → Obsess over process and detail (Belichick)
5. Adapt and evolve personally (Carter) → Customise tactics for every opponent (Belichick)
6. Leave the jersey in a better place (Carter) → Build dynasties and sustained excellence (Belichick)
7. Put the team above yourself (Carter) → No one is bigger than the system (Belichick)
8. Train for pressure moments (Carter) → Practice every scenario until it's automatic (Belichick)
9. Master the inner game — mindset, calm, clarity (Carter) → Stay unemotional and laser-focused (Belichick)
10. Lead by example with discipline and effort (Carter) → Lead through performance and execution (Belichick)
Both paths lead to greatness — just through different doors. If you work in high performance, coaching, or leadership of any kind, both are well worth a read.