Success Building Blocks: Self-Control

John Wooden was arguably the best coach in the history of college basketball. He developed the Pyramid of Success, a wonderful tool to succeed BIGG in any endeavor you choose.

So far, we’ve looked at the five blocks that form the foundation of the Pyramid – from left to right –  Industriousness, Friendship, Loyalty, Cooperation, and Enthusiasm. Now we’ll move to the second row of blocks.

This time we’ll look at the block that sits on the far left side of the second row, sitting atop Industriousness and Friendship.

Self-Control

Wooden says, “If you lose self-control, everything will fall.” It’s important to learn to control our emotions. There will be times when things won’t go our way. How we respond will be critical to achieving success.

It’s important to use good judgment and common sense as we approach each day and each decision. Misfortune may beset us, but we must recognize the good things in our life at every moment. Otherwise, we may wallow in self-pity and accomplish nothing.

Wooden wanted his teams to get just a little bit better every game. Slow and steady growth trumps peaks and the inevitable valleys. So use self-control to move yourself a little bit closer to your goals every day.

Explore all of the success building blocks

Industriousness
Enthusiasm
Friendship
Cooperation
Loyalty
Self-control
Intentness
Alertness
Initiative
Condition
Team Spirit
Skill
Poise
Confidence
Competitive Greatness