Read these 13 Pyramid of Success Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Basketball tips and hundreds of other topics.
What is competitive greatness? It's being at your best when your best is needed. It's enjoying the challenge when things become difficult, even very difficult.
True competitors know it's exhilarating to be involved in something that's very challenging. They don't fear it. They seek it. Is it fun to do that which is ordinary, easy, simple, something anyone can do? Not at all.
Yet most of the tasks we do in our everyday lives are very simple. Anybody could do them. They will not produce the joy that comes from being involved with something that challenges your body, mind, and spirit.
You must have confidence. You must believe in yourself if you expect others to believe in you.
However, you can't have poise and confidence unless you've prepared correctly. (Remember that failing to prepare is preparing to fail.) Every block in the Pyramid of Success is built on the others. When all are in place, poise and confidence result. You don't force them to happen. They happen naturally from proper preparation.
Industriousness? Very simply, you have to work and work hard. There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile things come only from hard work and careful planning. Hard work is essential, and only you really know if you're giving it everything you've got. People who always try to cut corners will never come close to realizing their full potential.
You must truly enjoy what you are doing. Your heart must be in it. Without enthusiasm you can't work up to your fullest ability. Enthusiasm brushes off upon those with whom you come in contact. And you must have enthusiasm to prepare and perform with industriousness. Enthusiasm ignites plain old work and transforms it into industriousness.
Practice self-discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgement and common sense are essential to success. 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 . When you lose control of your emotions, when your self-discipline breaks down, your judgement and common sense suffer. To do better in the future you have to work on the "right now."
That's where self-control comes in. Self-control keeps you in the present.
Strive to maintain self-control.
At the very center of the Pyramid is skill. You have to know what you're doing and be able to do it quickly and properly. You need both; the ability to do it quickly and properly. Skill means being able to execute all of your job, not just part of it.
It's true whether you're an athlete or an attorney, a surgeon or a sales rep, or anything else. You'd better be able to execute properly and quickly. That's skill.
The last block in the heart of the Pyramid of Success is team spirit. This means thinking of others. It means losing oneself in the group for the good of the group. It means being not just willing but eager to sacrifice personal interest or glory for the welfare of all. Of course, we all want to do well and receive individual praise. Yes, that's fine, if you put it to use for the good of the team, whatever your team is: sports, business, family, or community.Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player.
Poise is very simple: being yourself. You're not acting. You're not pretending or trying to be something you're not. You are being who you are and are totally comfortable with that. Therefore, you'll function near your own level of competence.You understand that the goal is to satisfy not everyone else's expectations but your own. You give your total effort to becoming the best you are capable of being. It takes poise to accomplish this.
For success, either individually or for your team, there must be a level of friendship. Friendship comes from mutual esteem, respect and devotion. Like marriage it must not be taken for granted but requires a joint effort.Friendship takes time and understanding. Rarely will you find in working toward a common goal that others will be able to resist friendship if you offer it sincerely and openly. Be brave enough to offer friendship.
In order to reach the full potential of the group, there must be cooperation on all levels. This means working together in all ways to accomplish the common goal. And to get cooperation, you must give cooperation with all levels of your teammates. Listen if you want to be heard. Be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way. All of this requires cooperation. It allows individuals to move forward together, to move in the same direction instead of going off in different directions.
Loyalty to and from those with whom you work is absolutely necessary for success. It means keeping your self-respect, knowing whom and what you have allegiance to. It means giving respect to those you work with. Respect helps produce loyalty.
Great loyalty was stressed on all successful teams. Loyalty is a cohesive force that forges individuals into a team. Loyalty is very important when things get a little tough, as they often do when the challenge is great. Loyalty is a powerful force in producing one's individual best and even more so in producing a team's best.
You must be conditioned for whatever activity you're doing if you're going to do it to the best of your ability. There are different types of conditioning for different professions. A deep-sea diver has different conditioning requirements from a sales person. A surgeon has different physical conditioning requirements from a food server. You must add to physical conditioning mental and moral conditioning. You must identify your conditioning requirements and then attain them. Without proper conditioning in all areas, you will fall short of your potential. Rest, exercise and diet must be considered. Moderation must be practiced. It is impossible to attain and maintain desirable physical condition without first achieving mental and moral condition.
Guru Spotlight |
Ray Lokar |