Success Building Blocks: Poise

John Wooden was arguably the best coach in the history of college basketball. His contributions to success literature, though, possibly exceed his accomplishments on the court. He developed the Pyramid of Success, a wonderful tool that will help you succeed BIGG in any endeavor you choose.

So far, we’ve discussed three rows of his Pyramid. Industriousness, Friendship, Loyalty, Cooperation, and Enthusiasm form the foundation. The second row consists of Self-control, Alertness, Initiative, and Intentness. The third row, which sits right in the middle of the Pyramid, includes Condition and Team Spirit.

Now we’ll move to the fourth row, which is also the second row from the top. It consists of two blocks. We’ll look at the one on the left this week.

Poise

This success building block sits atop Condition and Skill, but Wooden points out that it also comes from Team Spirit. You’ve worked hard to master the fundamentals of your craft so you know you’re ready to execute.

You’ve practiced every situation so you will be at ease when you’re playing the game. Even when things get tough, you’ll exhibit grace under pressure. You’ll just be yourself, because you know you’re ready! This leads to a calm, cool exterior because you’re calm and cool on the inside. That intimidates rivals who aren’t as prepared as you.

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