G.O.A.T.

Greatest of all time coach, John Wooden, tells the story of being given a card by his father in his early years with these seven principles for life:

• “Be true to yourself.
• Make each day your masterpiece.
• Help others.
• Drink deeply from good books.
• Make friendship a fine art.
• Build a shelter against a rainy day.
• Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.”

Note: all of these are reflected in the activities we follow on a daily basis as we participate in the Master Key Experience!

It is not far-fetched to see these seven as his inspiration for the Pyramid of Success for which he is as well-known as he is for his coaching career. A pyramid is constructed with a foundation that is wider than the apex, so Wooden’s pyramid is constructed with five foundation blocks which include industriousness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, and enthusiasm.

Each successive layer of blocks in the pyramid depicts life principles he considers essential to success in life

And how does he define Success?

“Success is peace of mind that is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

Turning to one item on the original card Wooden received, “Make each day your masterpiece”, I am struck by how similar it is to the thoughts concluding Og’s Fifth Scroll:

“I will live this day as if it is my last. And if it is my last, it will be my greatest monument. This day I will make the best day of my life. This day I will drink every minute to its full. I will savor its taste and give thanks. I will maketh every hour count and each minute. I will trade only for something of value. I will labor harder than ever before and push my muscles until they cry for relief, and then I will continue. I will make more calls than ever before. I will sell more goods than ever before. I will earn more gold than ever before. Each minute of today will be more fruitful than hours of yesterday. My last must be my best.” -Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World Scroll 5

Wooden coached each player to do his best every practice. He focused on practice, not championships. He coached players to see that the present is all we have control over.

What happened yesterday, whether praised or criticized is an opportunity to learn, but not to be dwelt upon. Yesterday has shaped today and today is the creator of tomorrow. But today is all we can control and we need to do our best today, this moment.

And now I commit to R2A2 (recognize -> relate -> assimilate -> apply) the Pyramid of Success until I get it right.

I always keep my promises.

See more about what I have learned in my Master Key Experience by clicking here.