Matthew McConaughey's Dad's Advice for Approaching Your Job as a Recruiter

Simple, but true. You better give it 100%, Coach

Actor Matthew McConaughey has a new book out, and I heard him talk about it the other day while I was driving in an interview I was listening to.

I didn’t know this, but he started out life thinking he was going to be an attorney. That’s what his dad wanted him to do, so it was what he thought he was supposed to do. But then he started questioning that path, and about the same time, the creative side of him began to blossom - and some friends were telling him he ought to give acting a try.

Here’s what happened next:

“Moving into junior year where you better be specific about what credits you're taking, because now you could waste some if you want to change your career path or your major — I decided I wanted to go to film school. I got the confidence to say that I wanted to go to film school. Now it was about calling my dad and telling him that, which was a very nerve-racking thing.

I thought he was going to go, "You want to do what, boy? That's not a real job." I was raised that you work your way up the company ladder. That's what my dad did. That's what he knew. And here I am, his son, going to be calling the man who's paying for my education to say, "I want to go into the arts." I did not think it was going to go well.

So I call him and he says, "Hey, buddy, what's going on?" I said, "Pop, I need to talk to you about something." He said, "Sure, what?" I said, "Well, I don't want to go to law school anymore. I want to go to film school."

There was a pause on the other line.

He goes, "Are you sure that's what you want to do?" And I said, "Yes, sir."

There was another pause.

And then I heard these three words that just not only gave me approval, gave me a shot in the backside and just catapulted me aboard. And the three words were this:

"Don't half-ass it."

And I was like, oh. I remember just going into tears that my father gave me that power. He gave me more than privilege. He gave me freedom to go after it.”

The application for you, as a college coach, should be obvious:

• If you’re going to do this job that we call college coaching, don’t half-ass it. Show up early, stay late, and aim to be the best you can be. Challenge your own thinking every day, and always be learning.

• If you’re going to recruit, don’t half-ass it. If you’re reading this, chances are good that you are already taking it more seriously than most, so good for you. But make sure it’s a priority: Scout more kids than you need; tell your story to them consistently; establish timelines and deadlines with them; out-work your competition who isn’t putting recruiting at the top of their list.

• If you’re going to develop a program once your recruits get to campus, don’t half-ass it. Develop relationships with each of your student-athletes by devoting regular time, on a rotating basis, to listening to them, asking for their input, and letting them know that they matter. Simple as that, but it takes away your time, so what do most coaches do? That’s right, they half-ass it. One Division I coach told me years ago that he felt this was his secret to his long-term success…he always had one of his players in front of him, multiple times per year, one on one, investing a little time in them throughout their four years on campus. It virtually eliminated transfers, brought more wins, cut down on discipline issues, and made him happier as a coach.

You’re in a tough business, Coach - and the temptation is to let that little voice in your head convince you that you deserve a little ‘me time' and don’t need to go the extra mile when it comes to these non-X’s and O’s part of your job.

Don’t listen to it.

Whether it’s great acting, or great coaching, the competition is stiff and you need to bring it day after day after day after day. Are you? Or are you half-assing it.

Be honest as you ask yourself that question, Coach…because one of your competitors has already finished reading this and is putting together their plan for beating you to the punch today. Time to get ready to compete, Coach. Your job demands it, and your success requires it.