SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- There's a story San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh told his team not too long ago, one that has quickly turned into an inspirational message for a squad that has surprised everybody with its 7-1 start. It's about Harbaugh's childhood as the youngest son of former longtime college coach Jack Harbaugh, back when his family never complained about constant moving or tiny, cramped homes. Jack actually would get so energized while driving his kids around that he'd shout, "Who has it better than us?" Every time, Jim would scream with his older brother John and younger sister Julie, "Nobody!"

When Harbaugh told this story, he didn't rely on predictable histrionics or dramatic embellishments. He delivered the tale the same way he usually speaks, with a clear, measured tone designed to drive home the larger point. If the 49ers wanted to look at their circumstances heading into this season -- the most notable being a mere six weeks to get acclimated to their first-year coach after the NFL lockout -- they could find ample reason to wilt. If they wanted to do what Harbaugh did back in the day, which was focus intensely on the positives, they might just create magic.

It's a message that has so resonated with the 49ers that they chant "Nobody!" every time Harbaugh yells, "Who has it better than us?" after practices and games.

"We ran with it," 49ers inside linebacker Patrick Willis said. "The whole point is that no matter what people say on the outside, we have enough for what we need. I don't know if he meant for that to become a motivational story but that's exactly what it is now."

After Sunday's 19-11 win over the Washington Redskins, the 49ers remain one of the league's hottest stories because Harbaugh -- who declined to comment for this story -- has been pushing the right buttons since Day 1. His team has ripped off six straight wins. They have yet to lose on the road and have comeback victories at Detroit and Philadelphia. The 49ers also have been so good that they could conceivably win the weak NFC West before the Christmas shopping season hits full swing.

The most amazing thing about this run is that nobody saw it coming. One agent familiar with people who know Harbaugh said, "Everybody I talked to thought he was going to bomb with the 49ers." Another NFC assistant coach said, "I don't know how they're doing it because they have 9-7 talent." Still, despite all the former college coaches who have recently failed in the NFL, Harbaugh -- who left Stanford to accept a five-year, $25 million contract with the 49ers -- has brought energy and focus to a team that hasn't enjoyed a winning season since 2002.

That was apparent when the 49ers returned from their bye week. Instead of trudging back to business -- as had been the case in years past -- they couldn't wait to return to work for a coach who makes the game fun.

"You can see that he's passionate, and guys respond to that," 49ers wide receiver Braylon Edwards said. "When you're genuine, it's easy for guys to buy into your message. They've had good players here for a while. Now you're seeing good players becoming great."

Added Willis: "He's a players' coach. Normally, you'll see guys wanting to get up and leave the cafeteria when the coach comes in. But he comes in and talks to everybody. He'll sit down with the starters. He'll sit down with the guys on the practice squad. I saw him once walk up to a table where all the seats were taken and he just found a way to squeeze right into space between a couple guys. And nobody left."

A true competitor

Jim Harbaugh's 49ers have won six straight and are running away with the NFC West. James Lang/US Presswire

There really is no artifice to these 49ers. After spending 15 years as an NFL quarterback, it seemed logical for Harbaugh, 47, to do what most former signal-callers do with power -- turn their offenses into high-flying, pass-happy machines. Instead, he has a team that ranks 30th in the league in passing (173.5 yards a game) while relying heavily on the run (the 49ers rank sixth in the league with 137.6 yards per game). On defense, San Francisco leads the NFL in both scoring and run defense.