Decades ago, a young magician (Brian Brushwood) wrote a piece of fan mail to Penn & Teller, his heroes in the world of magic.  The reply he received from Teller is wonderful! You should read this letter.  In fact, if I had to choose between you reading the rest of this logbook entry or reading the letter, I might recommend the letter (but please keep reading anyway).  

The excerpt of the correspondence that I am considering today reads as follows:

“Love something besides magic, in the arts.  Get inspired by a particular poet, film-maker, sculptor, composer.  You will never be the first Brian Allen Brushwood of magic if you want to be Penn & Teller.  But if you want to be, say, the Salvador Dali of magic, we'll THERE'S an opening.”

When I read this, I can’t help but ponder.  What successful figure of another craft would I like to be to the world of financial planning?  After some thought, here is my reply:

I would like to be the Jeff Van Gundy of personal finance!

I can almost hear you scratching your head.  Either you don’t know who Van Gundy is, or you do and are still confused.  I humbly request that you hear me out.

I am a life-long fan of the NBA’s New York Knicks (and it hasn’t been easy).  Having been born too late to watch Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe win league championships, the most successful run I’ve ever seen my team make was in the late 1990s under coach Jeff Van Gundy (JVG).  Neither the team nor JVG ever won a championship, but I don’t think we should let that detract from the value of embracing Van Gundyness.  

Here are a few reasons why Van Gundy is great avatar for a successful business:

• JVG is in some distinguished company at the top of his profession.  While I grant you that Jeff never won a championship, he spent years as only one of thirty coaches at basketball’s highest level.  Only a fool wouldn’t call that “success”.  You don’t need to be the absolute biggest or best in your field, but perhaps success means being one of a select few who are working at the highest level of your craft.

• Van Gundy overcame disadvantages to succeed.  Jeff is five feet nine inches tall and weighs 165 lbs and yet he has made millions of dollars in the NBA.  Understanding that he lacked the physical attributes to play professionally, he still managed to turn his passion into his life’s work.

• His work ethic was legendary.  As a coach, JVG was well known for obsessing over his work.  When he wasn’t on the court, he was committed to learning how to win.  He spent countless hours watching game tapes and working on strategy. Having not had the name recognition of some of his ex-player coaching peers, like Phil Jackson or Pat Riley, Van Gundy had to make his own name by outworking everyone else.  In 2000, JVG was given the honor of being named a head coach in the NBA All-Star Game.

• Jeff Van Gundy made the most of the available resources.  In 1999, Coach Van Gundy led the Knicks to the NBA Finals without the injured Patrick Ewing, legendary center and one of the “50 Greatest Players in NBA History”.  Left with the undersized players in the front-court, second-tier point guards, and a known “discipline problem” to fill out his roster with shooting guard Allan Houston, the team still became the first 8th seed to ever make it to the finals.  JVG even managed to get an average of 26 points per game out of that problem player in the final five games.

• JVG cares about his team.  One of the more unfortunately memorable images of Van Gundy’s career came as a result of one of his most admirable attributes.  When a bench-clearing brawl broke out in a playoff game, JVG stepped in to attempt to break up the fight. Over 100 lbs smaller than several of the enormous combatants, it’s not surprising that he ended up on the ground.  While some might mock the fool-heartiness of the attempt, I can’t help but admire his unwavering commitment to his team.

• He can adjust to changing circumstances.  Today, Jeff Van Gundy is still making a living in basketball, but as a broadcaster.  He is clearly still benefiting from the knowledge and passion that made him a great coach.  I think he is even having quite a bit of fun doing it.

A person could do quite a bit worse than to be the JVG of their professional arena.  Anyone who makes the most of what they have and works hard to overcome obstacles can succeed. Doing these things, while taking care of the people who work for you and adjusting to changing circumstances can propel you to the highest levels of your chosen field.

Maybe basketball isn’t your thing, and Jeff Van Gundy holds little meaning in your world.  Teller’s advice to a young magician’s fan mail may still be valuable to you. Whose attributes from another craft could you use to model your success?  

Fill in the blanks. I would like to be the _____________ of __________________.