|
THE PYRAMID OF SUCCESS IS A STARTING POINT NOT A FINISH LINE
In his book Practical Modern Basketball, Coach Wooden described his blocks on the Pyramid of Success this way: "Although a great amount of space could be devoted to any individual heading in the pyramid, I believe that the very brief comments under each should suffice and encourage a person to give the particular point additional thought."
Coach Wooden became an expert on Abraham Lincoln by reading over fifty books about him. To become an expert on a topic on the Pyramid the way Coach Wooden became an expert on Abraham Lincoln requires additional research.
For example, in Coach Wooden’s definition of Industriousness he mentions the importance of "careful planning." To help you become an expert on careful planning here are five standout books you can learn from and adapt:
- Stephen Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) teaches long-term clarity with "Begin with the end in mind." His Time Management Matrix shows how to focus on what’s truly important—not just urgent—and "schedule your priorities."
- Tom Bartow (Plan Tomorrow Today) builds behavioral momentum through the 1 Big Win and 3 Must-Dos method. His strategy: plan the night before so you can "win tomorrow today."
- Greg McKeown (Essentialism) delivers powerful clarity: "If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will." He emphasizes elimination—cutting the trivial many to focus on the vital few—and scheduling space for thinking.
- Cal Newport (Deep Work) teaches you to build distraction-free focus into your day through time blocking and structured rituals. His mantra: "Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not."
- James Clear (Atomic Habits) shows how careful planning happens at the micro level. Use implementation intentions like "I will [behavior] at [time] in [place]," and remember: "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
How did Coach Wooden become so smart? He read a lot! A sign on his office wall said: "It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts."
Yours in Coaching,
Craig Impelman
|
COACH'S FAVORITE POETRY AND PROSE
Think Happy Thoughts
Think happy thoughts!
Think sunshine all the day;
Refuse to let the trifling worries stay,
Crowd them with thoughts of laughter from your mind.
Think of the good, forget the bad you find,
Think of the sun behind the clouds; the blue
And not the gray skies that you view.
Think of the kindness not the meanness shown,
The true friends not the false ones you have known;
The joy and not the hatred of the strife,
The sweetness not the bitterness of life.
Think happy thoughts!
Think happy thoughts!
Think always of the best,
Think of the ones you love, not those that you detest;
Think of your victories and not your failures here,
The smile that pleased and not the hurtful sneer,
The kindly word and not the harsh word spoken,
The promise kept and not the promise broken;
The good that you have known and not the bad,
The happy days that were and not the sad;
Think of the rose and not the withered flower,
The beauty of the rainbow, not the shower.
Think happy thoughts!
Think happy thoughts!
This is true happiness!
That life is sad that feeds on its distress;
That mind is gloomy that subsists on gloom,
And is as dismal as a curtained room,
Where daily comes the sunshine, but to find
It cannot enter through the close-drawn blind.
Fling up the curtains of your mind today
And let the morning sunshine in to play;
Dwell on the joys and not the sorrows here,
Master your thoughts and you have mastered fear.
Think happy thoughts.
Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959)
|
