Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court

The book’s final section covers Wooden’s famous Pyramid of Success. The genesis for his pyramid was a high school homework assignment asking him to write a paper defining success. Even well after he had graduated high school, the essay question still confounded him. Popular misunderstandings of success became especially evident to him when he was a high school teacher and his students’ parents were displeased with their children’s average grades. In contrast, Wooden felt that a student who put in their best effort and worked hard but did not get good grades was ultimately more successful than a gifted student who aced exams without trying (168-69). This belief led him to coin his own definition of success in 1934: “Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming” (170). However, Wooden needed a way to teach others his definition, so he devised a pyramid diagram, which consists of individual blocks that indicate the personal qualities needed to reach the top (173). The pyramid took years to complete because each block was thoughtfully considered and carefully selected, based on the author’s years of experience rather than simply an idea of what was right (173).

In 1934, Wooden chose industriousness and enthusiasm as the pyramid’s cornerstones. While industriousness simply means hard work without shortcuts, enthusiasm is the enjoyment of the work; passion will produce great results. The foundation’s three remaining blocks consist of friendship, loyalty, and cooperation. Wooden argues that friendship “is a powerful force that comes from mutual esteem, respect, and devotion” (180). Loyalty means knowing who and what you have allegiance to and giving respect to those you work with (181). Cooperation is about teamwork and collaborating with others to achieve a goal.

The four blocks sitting atop this solid foundation are self-control, alertness, initiative, and intentness. Concerning self-control, Wooden argues that emotions will cloud your judgment and interfere with performance, mentally and physically. Alertness means that we should be constantly observing and learning from what is going on around us. Initiative refers to the drive to make decisions and act with courage, unafraid of failure (185). Intentness, the fourth block on the second tier of the pyramid, means determination, the ability to focus on your objective and work on it without distraction.

The third tier of the pyramid consists of three blocks—conditioning, skill, and team spirit—which Wooden describes as the heart of the pyramid. Conditioning applies to both physical fitness and mental and moral conditioning, and it refers not only to sports but to all aspects of life. Skill is the ability to execute tasks quickly and properly (187-88). Team spirit simply means thinking of others and being willing to work for the benefit of everyone, even if it means taking yourself out of the spotlight.

The fourth tier consists of two blocks—poise and confidence—which derive from all of the blocks below them. According to Wooden, poise is simply being yourself, not pretending to be anything else (189). Confidence, similarly straightforward, means believing in yourself. The lone block atop the pyramid is competitive greatness. This is “being at your best when your best is needed” and enjoying the challenge in difficult times (190).

Alongside Wooden’s pyramid, he has placed the unblocked words “patience” and “faith” diagonally, forming a point beside his top block. He describes patience and faith as the mortar securing the blocks. The apex of the pyramid is Wooden’s own definition of success, which can only be achieved through all of the qualities lower on the pyramid. In closing the book, Wooden explains that he has spent most of his lifetime pursuing the question posed to him in his high school homework assignment. His Pyramid of Success is his answer, and it provides a practical path toward that success. The book ends with the poem “The Great Competitor” by Grantland Rice and a list of Wooden’s favorite maxims.