Success Building Blocks: Alertness

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. Then, we started the second row and have looked at the two outer blocks – Self-control on the far left and Intentness on the far right.

Now we’ll look at the middle-left block of the second row, sitting above Friendship and Loyalty.

Alertness

You have to constantly pay attention to what’s going on around you. Be on the lookout for new paradigms which help you understand changes and take advantage of them.

Wooden talks about being quick to spot weaknesses – in yourself and in your competition. If it’s your own weakness, eradicate it rapidly. If your competition exhibits a weakness, move swiftly to take advantage of it.

Observe successful people and figure out how to emulate them. If you constantly look for ways to improve yourself, you’ll continually grow. That’s how you find meaning in what you’re doing, which makes you feel more alive.

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