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Loyalty-Pyramid of Success-John Wooden

Success Building Blocks: Loyalty

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Loyalty-Pyramid of Success-John Wooden

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 to succeed BIGG in any endeavor you choose.

We’ve looked at four blocks of his Pyramid so far. We started with his two cornerstones –  Industriousness on the left and Enthusiasm on the right. Now we’re looking at the three stones that fill out the foundation. We began with Friendship, the block that sits next to Industriousness. Last time, we talked about Cooperation, which sits next to Enthusiasm.

This time we’ll look at the block in the middle of the foundation – Loyalty.

Loyalty

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The Face In The Glass

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By Bigg Success Staff
01-03-07

Timeless Principle

face in glass jpg

As we enter another year, here’s an old poem that reminds us that the only opinion of yourself that really counts is your own!

The Face In The Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what that face has to say

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass,
The person whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people might think you’re a straight-shootin’ chum
And call you a great gal or guy,
But the face in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look it straight in the eye.

That’s the one you must please, never mind all the rest,
That’s the one with you clear to the end,
And you know you have passed your most dangerous test
If the face in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the face in the glass.

Your reputation is important. It is built moment by moment, action by action, day by day. You can spend years building a good reputation and then lose it with a single act. You can recover – but it will take even more time than it did before.

That’s why you should be more concerned with your character, than with your reputation. Your reputation is what others think of you. Your character is who you truly are.

If you continually develop your character, you won’t have to worry about your reputation. That’s why you need to know 62 what’s most important to you].  As you internalize your core values, you’ll find that your actions, in the moment, are likely to be consistent with them.

You’ll tend to say and do things of which you can be proud. Just as important, you’ll stop yourself before you do something that will bring you dishonor.

It’s what we, here at Bigg Success, call “the light of day” test. If it won’t stand up in the light of day, don’t do it. If you feel like you need to hide it, don’t do it. That way, you’ll always be proud of who you see in the mirror!

Hear today's lesson and laugh on The Bigg Success Show. 

(Image of face in glass by antkriz, CC 2.0)

image of a woman with a butterfly on her shoulder and the title: live your dream life with purpose part 2

Live Your Dream With Purpose – Part 2

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image of a woman with a butterfly on her shoulder and the title: live your dream life with purpose part 2

This is the second of a two-part series where we share how defining your core values helps you live your dream with purpose.

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Yesterday, we discussed why defining your core values helps you live your dream life. You won’t have peace of mind if your life isn’t consistent with your values. Knowing your values invigorates you. You see the BIGG picture – your current situation may not be all you dream of, but you can see how it’s getting you where you want to be.

We’re working toward a written statement of values. Having your values in writing makes them more tangible. It keeps them in front of you. You’re forced to analyze them more thoroughly than if you just keep them in your head.

Let’s look at two techniques you can use to discover your core values – yours, not someone else’s. Whichever technique you use, you’ll want to find a place that’s conducive to creative thinking.

    • The List

Select the ten things you think are most important from our list of values. It’s not easy, but that’s the point – discovering what you value the most. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to add your own values.

Once you’ve done that, up the ante. Choose the five values that are most important to you. Then four … three … two … one. You’ve just created an ordered ranking of your five most important values!

    • The Blank Sheet

Start with a blank sheet of paper (or a blank word processing document, if you prefer to type). Write “What’s most important to me?” at the top. Now brainstorm.

Write freely – don’t analyze. Anything and everything that comes to mind. Now get away from it. Come back to it again. Don’t worry if a couple of days pass.

When you return, look at your list. Do you want to add anything? Cross something off? Have at it – it’s your list.

Next, look at each word. Ask yourself what it means to you.  How does it help you live your dream with purpose?

For example, maybe your wrote down money. Money can mean income, wealth, freedom, security …. what does it mean to you? You’ll often find that what you value is underlying the word you wrote. Dig deep.

Now, start eliminating values so you end up with an ordered ranking.

You may find that combining the two techniques works best. Start with the first. Look over the list. Then get away from it. Return to a blank sheet and start brainstorming.

Visualizing your dream life, free of constraints, helped you uncover your passions. Now we’re bringing beliefs to those passions, which defines your values. That’s the life you want. In a couple of weeks, we’ll bring in the constraints; we’ll assess where you are. Then we’ll develop strategies to link the two together.

Our quote today is by the French writer and philosopher Michael de Montaigne.

“The value of life is not in the length of days, but in the use
we make of them; a man may live long but yet very little.”

So seize today. Value your life and live your values.

Next time, we’ll talk about success snake oil – know when you’re getting scammed. We’ll recount some recent experiences. Until then, here’s to your BIGG success!

In case you missed it, here’s the first part of this 2-part series:

Live Your Dream With Purpose – Part I

Direct link to The Bigg Success Show audio file | podcast:
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/biggsuccess/00027-121807.mp3