Shoe Dog, a memoir by Nike Founder and Chairman Phil Knight, is fantastic, and I give it my highest recommendation. Three character traits contributed to Knight’s success and the man he has become: 1) an unrelenting focus on the possibilities; 2) an undeniable desire to compete; and 3) an unending loyalty to those who understood him.
Possibilities are so important to Knight he opens his book with a zen quote proclaiming, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” When obstacles seem insurmountable, the challenge too hard, the run too long, Knight emphasizes, “Keep going, don’t stop.”
A former Oregon distance runner, Knight learned about competition circling a track: “The art of competing is the art of forgetting. You must forget your limits, your doubts, your pain, your past,” as well as the internal voice we all have begging to stop.
Above all, Knight is incredibly loyal. He probably learned this from his intense track coach at the University of Oregon, Bill Bowerman. After graduation and upon starting his new shoe venture, Bowerman and Knight split the company’s ownership, with his former coach graciously selling shares back to Knight over time as the company grew and succeeded. Along the way, Bowerman placed former Oregon distance runners within the company, and Knight accepted them, whether he had a position open or not.
Knight subscribes to the principle, “Men of Oregon take care of their own.” Not only does Knight show an intense (and reciprocated) loyalty to his university, but he developed a strong (and mutual) loyalty with the athletes of Nike. As an example, after Knight’s son tragically died in a scuba-diving accident in 2000, Knight states that every Nike athlete contacted him to offer condolences, but one does so first: Tiger. “(Tiger’s) call came in at 7:30 a.m. I will never, ever forget. And I will not stand for a bad word spoken about Tiger in my presence.”
Shoe Dog is a great book, and Knight’s example of optimism, effort, and friendship is certainly the gold standard.
