TEXAS COBRAS : Pyramid of Success
Pyramid of SuccessCoach John Wooden was one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time. He was known for his ability to get his players to perform as a team instead of individuals. He seldomly got up from the bench to coach during a game. He believed most of your coaching was to be done at practice and that games were meant to showcase his players. He developed the "Pyramid of Success" over his fourteen year coaching career and taught this pyramid to his players. He attributes his success and that of his players to this philosophy. To understand how to build "The Pyramid of Success" we must first understand the definition of success. Coach Wooden says the definition of success is the "peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming". Click on the link below to go to his sight to see the Pyramid of Success.
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BUILDING THE PYRAMID
Building a Solid Foundation for Success
In 1934 I chose two blocks as the cornerstones of my Pyramid of Success without any clear knowledge of how many blocks it would eventually have of its eventual size. That would come only after hundreds of hours of reflection over a period of fourteen years.
I did know that at the top of the Pyramid, at the apex, was success as defined by many of the teachings Dad had given us back on the farm. To those I added my own ideas gained from experience.
So in 1934 I began by putting in place two huge and powerful blocks as the cornerstones of the Pyramid, two fundamental personal qualities that I wouldn't change if I had to do it over again today in 1997, because without them you will not succeed. These are the biggest and most essential blocks in the Pyramid: industriousness and enthusiasm. Let me tell you a little about both of them.
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SELF CONTROL
Self-control is essential for discipline and mastery of emotions, for discipline of self and discipline of those under your supervision.
You cannot function physically or mentally unless your emotions are under control. That is why I did not engage in pregame pep talks to stir emotions to a sudden peak.
I preferred to maintain a gradually increasing level of both achievement and emotions rather than trying to create artificial emotional highs. For every contrived peak you create, there is a subsequent valley. I do not like valleys. Self-control provides emotional stability and fewer valleys.
Remember, discipline of others isn't punishment. You discipline to help, to improve, to correct, to prevent, not to punish, humiliate, or retaliate.
When you punish you antagonize. You cannot get the most positive results when you antagonize. Self-control is essential to avoid antagonizing.
When you lose control of your emotions, when your self-discipline breaks down, your judgement and common sense suffer. How can you perform at your best when you are using poor judgement?
In the many years before we won a championship I overcame disappointment by not living in the past. To do better in the future you have to work on the "right now." Dwelling in the past prevents doing something in the present.
Complaining, whining, making excuses just keeps you out of the present.
That's where self-control comes in. Self-control keeps you in the present.
Strive to maintain self-control.
ALERTNESS
Alertness is the next building block in the Pyramid. There is something going on around us at all times from which we can acquire knowledge if we are alert. Too often we get lost in our tunnel vision and we don't see the things that are right in front of us for the taking, for the learning.
My favorite American hero is Abraham Lincoln. He had alertness. He once said that he never met a person from whom he did not learn something, although most of the time it was something not to do. That also is learning, and it comes from your alertness.
As you strive to reach your personal best, alertness will make the task much easier. Be observing constantly, quick to spot a weakness and correct it or use it, as the case may warrant.
INITIATIVE
You must not be afraid to fail. Initiative is having the courage to make decisions and take action. Keep in mind that we all are going to fail at times. This you must know. None of us is perfect. But if you're afraid of failure, you will never do the things you are capable of doing.
I always cautioned my teams, "Respect your opponents, but never fear them. You have nothing to fear if you have prepared to the best of your ability."
Never fear failure. It is something to learn from. You have conquered fear when you have initiative.