Pyramid of Success: John Wooden (Part II)

John Wooden may have created the Pyramid of Success 60 years ago, but sinking yourself into it, you would find its relevance is beyond time or age. The relevance is not just in sports, but to all fields in life. He is 98 today and listening him speak fills me with veneration and deep admiration. Wooden’s famous philosophy through the Pyramid of success is a guiding force to many young lives today.

The Pyramid depicts 15 habits that John devised with experience through daily basketball practice. The cornerstones of the pyramid is "industriousness," then "friendship, loyalty, cooperation, and enthusiasm;" in short, the foundation of the Pyramid is the knowledge that life, like basketball, is a team game. "The main ingredient in stardom," Mr. Wooden told his players, "is the rest of the team.". The first layer above the foundation is Mr John’s stress on mental powers that focuses on “self control, alertness, initiative, and intentness” With 15 years of work put down in framing the pyramid, John though put industriousness and enthusiasm as cornerstone, skill was placed at the heart. After the mental and physical comes the spiritual row of "poise and confidence." This row can be thought of as Mr. Wooden's definition of success: peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.

John’s seven point creed, given to him by his father after his graduation:
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Be true to yourself.

Make each day your masterpiece.

Help others.

Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.

Make friendship a fine art.

Build a shelter against a rainy day.

Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.