"If you bank on the silverware in the trophy cabinet then you'll be disappointed more often than not," said the 48-year-old whose troops are on the cusp of locking away the Ranfurly Shield, the symbol of domestic rugby challenge supremacy, this summer.
When Philpott first took charge in 2013, he coached the Magpies to lifting the Log 'o Wood, breaking a 44-year drought as well as taking them to a narrow-margin loss in the cup Championship final.
The following season they regained the shield and retained it four times into this season, with seven successive defences.
However, last year a Premiership berth again proved elusive despite making the Championship final.
In expressing delight at Philpott's commitment, Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union (HBRFU) chief executive Mike Bishop said: "A significant amount of the success the team has achieved this year is due to the planning and commitment Craig has brought to the coaching of the Magpies."
That sort of educated endorsement comes on the heels of a lion's share of marquee players re-signing to at least the end of the next cup season.
Add to that his appointment as assistant coach of the Baby Blacks, under the driving force of Canterbury coach Scott Robinson for the Under-20 World Cup campaign next year, and one starts getting a higher resolution picture of where Philpott is headed in the career path of the country's No1 sport.
In his debut season, Philpott recalled there were eight players who had secured Super Rugby contracts but last year that had mushroomed to 16.
"I'm expecting 17 to 18 of them to have that next year, so I get a buzz from watching young guys from Hawke's Bay and other areas moving up," said the former Christchurch Boys' High School assistant principal, who arrived in the Bay with a wealth of age-group mentoring under his belt.
Fundamentally, he attributed the culture of progress "to a combination of things coming together".
"Selecting the right people was the key to having certain traits."
That is not to say the former Canterbury Colts gravitates towards anyone who fits the mould of "perfect angels".
It's simply a case of identifying and offering individuals an opportunity to express themselves and then watching them fulfil certain expectations through gradual improvements.
"It's my and Hawke's Bay Rugby Union's job to facilitate that as best as we can."
So does that mean Philpott will become a resident of the Bay?
"Look, I love Hawke's Bay. No matter where I end up, I always will have a special place in my heart for it."
Philpott prefers to juxtapose his career with those of players who continually want to improve their lot to realise the ambition of becoming an All Black some day.
The Baby Blacks stint, no doubt, is yet another stepping stone on that Philpott template.
"Hopefully, I'll go on to coach at Super Rugby level and then the All Blacks so, to answer your question, that's why I'll have to move out of Hawke's Bay to do that."
A jovial Philpott was comfortable in the knowledge that, whatever happens, his Ranfurly Shield exploits would ensure he would be offered return tickets to the Bay for a reunion of some description in the next decade or so.
Did he also grow as a person while mentoring his charges?
"Absolutely. I've done that from my first year of coaching in 1991, with players from all different ages and skill levels."
He learned things about himself, especially for someone who was making his transition as an accomplished Canterbury provincial player to coaching.
So what stands out in that transitional journey with players?
"You have that self-assertion that you don't know everything. You don't ever stop learning."
For now, his preoccupation is with the Magpies who play Wellington away tomorrow night in what appears to be a notice of promotion.
