There are no shortage of definitions when it comes to success or what it actually takes to be successful.
The truth is there is not just one key to being successful. Life isn’t that simple. There is a lot involved in succeeding at anything worthwhile.
One my all time favorite authors was the late Coach John Wooden. He was arguably one of the greatest coaches of all time. When you read his writings, you will find it packed full of timeless wisdom. He didn’t teach hype, short cuts, and how to be successful in a hurry. He taught how to be successful on and off the court long term.
He spent years developing his “Pyramid of Success.” He put much thought in to it and rearranged the order of the success principles based on which he thought came first.
He finally determined that there were 2 that needed to be the base corner stones to all the others in his success pyramid. Those were “industriousness” and “enthusiasm.”
Industriousness is a word we don’t hear often but it means to work really hard! John Wooden believed that without hard work as a foundation the rest didn’t matter. Certainly, it takes much more than just hard work, but you can’t succeed without it! There are no short cuts. You aren’t going to be very successful working “4 hours a week.” I know so many ultra successful people but not one who got there only working 4 hours a week.
Coach Wooden believed equally in enthusiasm. He believed you need to love what you do. That your heart needed to be in it. He said without enthusiasm you would never work up to your fullest ability.
He couldn’t stand complaining. His attitude was if it is that bad get out! Make a change. Do something else. Find something you can put your heart in to and then go work hard at it!
There are many more building blocks in Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, but industriousness and enthusiasm are the cornerstones to all the rest.
Rich
Rich Florence 