Class Evaluation

1) It helps us with learning more about computers

2) That it was so quite and boring

3)Make the class more fun

4) No because i'm always busy with work and school

5)yes because i'm trying to improve my life and future

6)what i learned in this class is that always respect others and i will pass this down to others to help them

7)My awesome Teacher Mr. Haymore

The Psychology of Winning

Denis Waitley

The 10 Qualities of a Total Winner

Quality 1:  Positive Self-Expectancy 

"Life is a self fulfilling prophecy. True winners go into every event expecting to win."

Positive self-expectancy is the first, most outwardly identifiable quality of a top-achieving, winning human being. Positive self-expectancy is pure and simple optimism: real enthusiasm for everything you do... [while] expecting the most favorable result from your own actions. There never was a winner who didn't expect to win in advance. Winners understand that life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. And they know that you usually get what you expect in the long run.There is a marketing strategy lurking out there that I can’t begin to explain, though I know it works. It’s something I’ve heard called the power of positive expectancy. Now don’t go and get all new age phobic on me, just stop and think about it.How often have you expected that something would work and it did? Now, flip that around, how often did you just absolutely known that something was going to fail – and guess what – it did?I wish I could go beyond this notion of positive thinking and explain in quantum physics terminology that actual workings of this but, I’m a results person. If it gets results, I don’t always need to know why. You’ve got to believe your marketing will payoff or you won’t bring to it the proper energy and enthusiasm required to work through the trial and error phase.Have you ever tried to sell something that you didn’t really believe in? On the other hand, have you ever found yourself so excited about a product or service that people bought from you because they almost had to?This notion of expecting and receiving success is widely accepted in self-help, philosophical and spiritual circles. Business owners sometimes feel the need for cold hard facts and statistics – logical explanations. But think about this for a minute. When was the last time you made a purchase for purely logical reasons. Almost every buying decision ever made was based on emotion and rationalized with logic.

Quality 2: Positive Self-Motivation 

"True winners dig deep and find motivation inside themselves to get through that tough task or to learn a new skill."

Keep motivators around your work area – things that give you that initial spark to get going.. Make more regular encounters with positive and motivated people. This could be as simple as IM chats with peers or a quick discussion with a friend who likes sharing ideas.. Read and try to take in everything you can. The more you learn, the more confident you become in starting projects.. See the good in bad. When encountering obstacles, you want to be in the habit of finding what works to get over them.. Just do. If you find motivation for a particular project lacking, try getting started on something else. Something trivial even, then you’ll develop the momentum to begin the more important stuff.. Keep notes on when your motivation sucks and when you feel like a superstar. There will be a pattern that, once you are aware of, you can work around and develop. Keep a tally or a progress bar for ongoing projects. When you see something growing you will always want to nurture it. Share your ideas and help friends get motivated. Seeing others do well will motivate you to do the same. Write about your success and get feedback from readers.

Quality 3: Positive Self-Image

True winners are confident and view themselves as competent, valuable human beings.

When children are young, they’re carefree and don’t care what anybody thinks about them because they’re happy right at that moment.  They’re their own characters because they haven’t been made to fit in with a society that frowns upon that.  The have fun running, playing, and jumping where ever they are and don’t care what anybody thinks.  Children are simply pure light and love.When people get in touch with their inner child, they become free by playing, enjoying the moment, and having fun.  They need to understand just how serious and stiff they’ve become and tap back into that which has been forgotten.  People seem to play roles to fit in and crush their true nature because they fear what others will think.  Be free and have fun!People need to embrace themselves and their personalities no matter how different they are from others.  They could be an extrovert who’s spontaneous or an introvert who’s a bit awkward.  These are just labels that aren’t important because a person is what they feel and think.One needs to relax and get rid of all the pretending and never change their self because they want to fit in.  They need just to be themselves and find their strengths regardless of who ever they may face.  It other people are genuine; they’ll accept this “real” person.

Quality 4: Positive Self-Direction

You gotta have direction if you are going to go anywhere. True winners know where they are going. Their sense of direction comes from the self and not from outside influences like parents or friends.

Winning self-direction is setting goals that are profitable to you and your loved ones.  They should be specific because the mind does operate like a homing torpedo or a computer reading its disk.  Like a robot on automatic pilot, what you get is what you set.  But it can't compute without specific data.  It can't relate to nebulas, vague or general terms like enough money, wealth, peace, happiness, or just doing better.  It responds to $6,000 a month, a new BMW, a desired weight of 175 pounds, let's say, for a man of average build.On a sheet of paper write down what would give you the most fulfillment out of your work and your life.  But be specific.  The more defined, the better the aim and the focus.You see, that's why it's so vital that you share your goals only with other positive goal setters and support coaches.  Because misery is always looking for a growing ground.  Never share a goal with someone who is likely to flood your garden of dreams and rain on your parade with a downpour of negative reactions.Woodrow Wilson summed up his belief in the power of goals like this, he said, "We grow great by dreams and goals.  All big successes are big dreamers.  They see things in the red fire of a long winter's evening or through the mist of a rainy day.  Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them through the bad days until they bring them to the sunshine and the light which always come to those who sincerely believe that their dreams will come true."

Quality 5: Positive Self-Control

Total winners can sacrifice immediate pleasure for a gain in the future. Delayed gratification is of immense value in reaching your goals.

Self-control separates us from our ancient ancestors and the rest of the animal kingdom, thanks to our large prefrontal cortex. It is the ability to subdue our impulses in order to achieve longer-term goals. Rather than responding to immediate impulses, we can plan, evaluate alternative actions, and, often enough, avoid doing things we'll later regret. The ability to exert self-control is typically called willpower. It is what allows us to direct our attention, and it underlies all kinds of achievement. There is significant debate in science as to whether or not willpower is a finite resource. Studies demonstrate that exercising willpower makes heavy demands on mental energy, notably on reserves of glucose, the brain's preferred fuel, creating ego depletion. It's one reason we're more apt to reach for that chocolate chip cookie when we're feeling stressed than when we're feeling on top of the world. Recently, scientists have failed to replicate some of the studies underlying the concept of ego depletion, and more research is underway.

Quality 6: Positive Self-Discipline

You have to discipline yourself or else someone else will discipline you into doing what they want you to do. Total winners have the power to discipline and take control of their lives.

You won't magically wake up one day with superhuman willpower. Instead, you need a strategy to help you build mental muscle.Whether you want to increase good habits--like going to the gym more often--or you want to eliminate bad habits--like watching too much TV--you'll need a plan to turn your intentions into action. Outline clear action steps you will start taking on a daily basis.Ignoring your pitfalls won't make them go away. So whether eating cookies is the downfall to your weight loss or checking social media sabotages your productivity, acknowledge your weaknesses. Recognizing your weaknesses is the first step in creating positive change.You won't gain self-discipline to lose weight if you keep your house stocked with junk food. Instead, you'll wear yourself out trying to resist every cookie, brownie, and chip.Limiting temptations can help you slowly build more self-discipline over time. If your weakness involves checking social media every two minutes, find an app that blocks access to Facebook. Or, if you can't resist overspending when you go to the store, leave your credit card at home and carry cash only. 

Quality 7: Positive Self-Esteem

Your mood and outlook on life affect the way you see the world and how you interact in it. Total winners are positive, powerful people who make people feel good and provide a good vibe to those around him/her.

You are capable of acting more assertive without any guilt. Communication with other people is easy and natural.You don’t spend too much time dwelling on the past. You live in the present moment doing the best you can. The past is gone, and you know that you cannot do anything about it.You are equal to everyone. You know that nobody is better or worst than you. You pose the ability to recognize the difference in others, like particular talents.You do not allow others to manipulate you. Because you know how to be assertive you can easily handle this situation with a different attitude.You recognize and accept a variety of feelings, positive or negatives, and you share them with another person if you think it is healthy for the relationship.You enjoy different activities like work, play, walk, relax, etc. Balance is necessary.You accept challenges and take risks to grow. Because you accept yourself as you are, you are aware that you are not perfect. Is something goes wrong you learn from it.You handle criticism easily without taking it personally. You know that you are learning and growing and are mostly independent of the good and bad opinions of others. Because of this, you can discern when criticism is a feedback that is going to help you or is going to draw you down.You value yourself, and you communicate better with other people. You are not afraid to express your feelings, likes, and dislikes.You value and accept other people as they are, meaning that you don’t try to change them.

Quality 8: Positive Self-Dimension

Total winners like in the present. They know that now is all there is. They don’t get caught up in the past or worry about the future. They simply handle the business that they can handle which is the stuff going on today, now.

life with certain predispositions, qualities of being and strengths. As we develop, our natural strengths and ways of coping are covered over, and limiting characteristics, beliefs, emotions and behaviors take their place. These limitations generate a feeling of emptiness, a lack or a flaw which we reproduce through our beliefs and behaviors thus creating suffering while we try to change others. In this workshop we will have the opportunity to stimulate change from within instead—enhancing our capacity for love, life and work. it is helpful to use a working model that honors our uniqueness and at the same time helps us recognize our personality orientation with its strengths and limitations. The Five Phase (Element) Model of Chinese Medicine represents a way of understanding the world, ourselves and others, a theory of personality and a description of the evolution of our being. Traditional metaphors such as fire, earth, metal, water and wood describe aspects of our being including physical, emotional, mental and spiritual functions as well as principles and qualities of being. this in-depth self-exploratory workshop will offer the opportunity to work with aspects of our being. For self-development it is vital to understand our strengths and limitations in each of the five phases as well as our predisposition towards our preferred personality orientation.

Quality 9: Positive Self-Awareness

Total winners are aware of their power. They understand that they can be anything with enough effort and determination.

We might quickly assume that we are self aware, but it is helpful to have a relative scale for awareness. If you have ever been in an auto accident you may have experienced everything happening in slow motion and noticed details of your thought process and the event. This is a state of heightened awareness. With practice we can learn to engage these types of heightened states and see new opportunities for interpretations in our thoughts, emotions, and conversations. Having awareness creates the opportunity to make changes in behavior and beliefs.

Quality 10: Positive Action

Total winners take positive action in their business and with their friends and family. They are uplifting and motivating individuals who inspire the best from themselves and other

Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development, an initiative of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, has identified Positive Action as one of 10 Model Programs that meet its highest scientific standard of effectiveness.

Funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Blueprints has reviewed more than 1,100 programs since 1996. Only about 50 have qualified for Blueprints Promising Model certification, and just 10 of those have met the Model standard.

Only those programs with strong scientific evidence of effectively improving developmental outcomes in the areas of behavior, education, emotional well-being, physical health, and positive relationships are designated.

Published, peer-reviewed, scientific studies are the key to knowing what works. Blueprints reviews research studies and the quality of their evidence of program effectiveness, seeking strong methodological grounding, clearly defined goals, and reliably positive results.

1. Make a commitment to tell the truth.
2. Tell someone about your commitment.
3. Think before you give a dishonest answer, explanation, sarcasm, or reason.
4. Be careful of when and how you use exaggeration, sarcasm, or irony.
5. Be careful not to twist the truth or leave out part of it.
6. Don't indulge in little white lies.
7. Watch out for silent lies.
8. When you catch yourself lying, throw your mouth into reverse.
9. Talk to yourself.
10. Treat yourself when you tell the truth.

The Pyramid of Success

Block 1: Industriousness

"There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning."

Industriousness mean actively engaged or occupied, busy chiefly stresses activity as opposed to idleness or leisure. "...Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning." is a great way to start if you want success because lazy people leave everything to the last minute. Most of the time the projects feel rushed and no good. For instance, teachers are grading bases on your effort. If you work hard then you'll get good grades. Having a careful plan for a project means it'll come out good and you won't be stressing because you don't know what to do. As for in a job your boss expects you to do good work. That is the only way to get a raise because a job doesn't want people who give them semi good work.

i will apply this to my life to make it better

Block 2: Enthusiasm

"It is the engine that powers all blocks of the Pyramid. It is why I chose Industriousness and Enthusiasm as the cornerstones of my Pyramid of Success. It is where everything begins."

energetic people are more of the type of people 

Enthusiasm intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval. If you don't have enthusiasm then you won't want to put as much effort as you would if you liked what you were doing. For instance if you like to do art but you're stuck in a business that you don't even like you'll never do good at your actual job. You'll hate going to work everyday it wouldn't be something you want it would be something you are forced to do. If you enjoy something then go for it, it is the start of success. Enthusiasm is the cornerstone because it is what will keep you motivated and want you to succeed.

I will apply this to my life to make it better

Block 3: Friendship

"Comes from mutual esteem, respect and devotion. Like marriage it must not be taken for granted but requires a joint effort."

A friend is a person that someone knows and likes.People who are friends talk to each other and spend time together. They also help each other when they are in trouble or are hurt. Friends are people that can be looked up to and trusted. Usually friends have similar interests. A friend is one who admires a person's skill and helps or encourages them to make the right choices and do not get into any trouble at all.The strength of the bond of friendship between two people can vary. If the bond is very strong, they are called best friends. This can usually be achieved by possessing the elements of friendship, by being kind, generous, loyal, honest and by having fun. With these qualities you can truly enjoy the bliss of friendship.There are expectations, demands and complaints in friendship too. If friends don't match with your expectations, it does not mean you will break the friendship. It is all about understanding, realizing and helping whenever possible.Friendship is both good and necessary. Man cannot live all alone. He is a social being. He needs someone to share his joys and sorrows. Generally, it is only people of similar age, character and background, mentality, etc., who can understand him and his problems. Friends are needed for support and for sharing.

Block 4: Loyalty

"To yourself and to all those depending upon you. Keep your self-respect."

Loyalty, the definition of loyalty in law and political science is the fidelity of an individual to a nation, either one's nation of birth, or one's declared home nation by oath. In general use, loyalty is a devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another human being can be the object of loyalty.John Kleinig, professor of philosophy at City University of New York, observes that over the years the idea has been treated by writers from Aeschylus through John Galsworthy to Joseph Conrad, by psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, scholars of religion, political economists, scholars of business and marketing, and—most particularly—by political theorists, who deal with it in terms of loyalty oaths and patriotism. As a philosophical concept, loyalty was largely untreated by philosophers until the work of Josiah Royce, the "grand exception" in Kleinig's words. John Ladd, professor of philosophy at Brown University, writing in the Macmillan Encyclopedia of Philosophy in 1967, observes that by that time the subject had received "scant attention in philosophical literature". This he attributed to "odious" associations that the subject had with nationalism, including Nazism, and with the metaphysics of idealism, which he characterized as "obsolete". However, he argued that such associations were faulty and that the notion of loyalty is "an essential ingredient in any civilized and humane system of morals" Kleinig observes that from the 1980s on wards, the subject gained attention, with philosophers variously relating it to professional ethics, whistle blowing, friendship, and virtue theory.

I will apply this to my life to make it better

Block 5: Cooperation

"With all levels of your co-workers. Listen if you want to be heard. Be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way. "

Cooperation has two definitions. In one sense, it means complying with rules and agreeing that those rules should be followed. (If a person complies without supporting the rules, he or she is merely being obedient.).Alternatively, cooperation can mean working with others in harmony and synchronous, and finding solutions to any interpersonal conflicts that may arise.Many researchers believe empathy is one of the building blocks of all moral behavior, since by empathizing with others, we are more likely to want to relieve their pain and increase their happiness. The Golden Rule ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"), one of the guiding moral precepts of civilization, is the active equivalent of empathy. A version of the Golden Rule is found in most religious traditions.

Block 6: Ambition (For noble goals)

Ambitions is the way of having a goal and doing anything possible to get to your goal.I believe there is only one inherent character trait that is essential for effective leadership: ambition. You may not think of yourself as ambitious, but relax. Even the saintly Gandhi had ambition. When asked why he had abandoned a successful law career (and a well-cushioned lifestyle) to pursue a risky, self-sacrificing career of political leadership, Mahatma replied with a single word: “Ambition!” Granted, it is not necessarily an attractive personal trait to desire power, distinction, and public approval. Gandhi chose exactly the right word to describe the force that compelled him to risk all — even his life — in the pursuit of a worthy goal.By his early 40s, he had come to feel terror at the prospect of living to old age in conventional comfort. He trembled when he imagined himself on his deathbed uttering the most tragic of all last words: “I could have done much more with my life.” Then, for 40 years, he focused his energies on the single goal of Indian independence. Although few leaders are as admirable in their behavior, as noble in their goals, or as successful in their craft as was Gandhi, all leaders are driven by ambition.

I will apply this to my life to make it better

Block 7: Self-Control

"Practice self-discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgement and common sense are essential."

Self-control separates us from our ancient ancestors and the rest of the animal kingdom, thanks to our large prefrontal cortex. It is the ability to subdue our impulses in order to achieve longer-term goals. Rather than responding to immediate impulses, we can plan, evaluate alternative actions, and, often enough, avoid doing things we'll later regret. The ability to exert self-control is typically called willpower. It is what allows us to direct our attention, and it underlies all kinds of achievement. There is significant debate in science as to whether or not willpower is a finite resource. Studies demonstrate that exercising willpower makes heavy demands on mental energy, notably on reserves of glucose, the brain's preferred fuel, creating ego depletion. It's one reason we're more apt to reach for that chocolate chip cookie when we're feeling stressed than when we're feeling on top of the world. Recently, scientists have failed to replicate some of the studies underlying the concept of ego depletion, and more research is underway.

I will apply this to my life to make it better

Block 8: Alertness

"Be observing constantly. Stay open-minded. Be eager to learn and improve."

How alert, or vigilant, you are during your day can affect your ability to carry out daily tasks. Many things can alter how alert you feel, such as how much sleep or caffeine you’ve had. Being overly alert or not alert enough can also be a sign of certain mental health conditions, like anxiety, mania, or depression.  This skill is used automatically. It can help to sense traps and invisible monsters although it is not too effective at either (which basically means that an active search for traps with the respective skill has a much higher chance of success). It can save your character from some nasty surprises at times. However, it's also *very* helpful when trying to dodge combat magic since high reflexes (as created by a high alertness skill) will help to dodge combat magic with lightning speed

Block 9: Initiative

"Cultivate the ability to make decisions and think alone. Do not be afraid of failure, but learn from it."

In political terminology, the initiative is a process that enables citizens to bypass their state legislature by placing proposed statutes and, in some states, constitutional amendments on the ballot. The first state to adopt the initiative was South Dakota in 1898. Since then, 23 other states have included the initiative process in their constitutions, the most recent being Mississippi in 1992. That makes a total of 24 states with an initiative process.There are two types of initiatives: direct and indirect. In the direct process, proposals that qualify go directly on the ballot. In the indirect process, they are submitted to the legislature, may act on the proposal. Depending on the state, the initiative question goes on the ballot if the legislature rejects it, submits a different proposal or takes no action. In some states with the indirect process, the legislature may submit a competing measure that appears on the ballot along with the original proposal. 

Block 10: Intentness

"Set a realistic goal. Concentrate on its achievement by resisting all temptations and being determined and persistent."

“The road to real achievement takes time, a long time, but you do not give up. You may have setbacks. You may have to start over. You may have to change your method. You may have to go around, or over, or under. You may have to back up and get another start. But you do not quit. You stay the course. To do that, you must have intentness.” Coach John Wooden On John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success there is the word, Intentness by which Coach Wooden has put the words, “The ability to resist temptation and stay with your course, concentrate on your objective and be determined to reach your goal.” Intentness is a vital quality for success. Intent comes for the latin word meaning to strain, stretch. It is the ability to focus with eager and undivided attention on your task. According to research, attention span increases based on how much a person enjoys the task they are focusing on. Fatigue, hunger, noise and stress can inhibit intentness.

Block 11: Sincerity (keeps friends)

When we examine ourselves its to build us up to be better. However many people are not sincere about their faults which doesn't enable them to grow. For this reason is why its good to have sincere friends who are there to support but also sincere which just means they will be there to help  you be a better you. When your not sincere to yourself or even to people get this bad impression of you that dont characterize a successful leader. Sincerity keeps your heart true from easily lying to yourself. Its good to avoid this because then we forget our goals and plans. When your sincere to others you open door to others to be sincere to own. Charles Surgeon said something very blunt but to about sincerity. He said, " sincerety makes the very least person be of more value than the most talented hypocritical." This menas that no matter what talents you have you  cant be cold hearted or eles it becoemes a Sheild to others seing your potential. As well as stating that no matter how great you are on the outside you need to have those good inner factors of a good hearted person. This applies to those buisness men that you want a car from or those teachers to recognize your potential. At times we just nee to be sincere to get to where we want.

Block 12: Adaptability (to any situation)
The challenge to adaptability deals with how you respond to change, taking a challenging situation, and learning to not just cope but even thrive in the new environment. This chapter presents seven steps that help achieve this adaptability. Understanding why we behave the way we do is essential before we can change our behavior. Develop new, data‐rich, and technologically enhanced senses that transform the way you interpret the world. Once you recognize the need for constant learning and accept that being wrong is part of the learning process, you’ll be ready to develop new skills and gain new knowledge. Systems thinking are efficient, clarifying, and empowering. With systems thinking, you can maneuver and negotiate any circumstance in the modern world. By approaching change rigorously, collecting data, and developing our analytical capabilities we can make good decisions even when our intuition is telling us to do something else.

Block 13: Condition

"Mental-Moral-Physical. Rest, exercise and diet must be considered. Moderation must be practiced. Dissipation must be eliminated."

the state of something with regard to its appearance, quality, or working order.   Quotes: "Mental-Moral-Physical. Rest,  exercise and diet must be considered. Moderation must be practiced. Dissipation must be eliminated." What I believe this means is that you must condition your mind and your body to be successful. Some ways to condition your mind is by reading an hour a day. Another way to condition your mind is by studying/ practicing to get better. To condition your body is by exercising regular and live a healthy life. Also eating healthy helps you to be focus throughout the day. By conditioning your mental, moral and physical health is creates equilibrium in your life. For example, athletes have routines that help them stay focus. I have an everyday routine it consist of a hour nap, than going to play some basketball and after all that finish my homework. This routine helps me condition my mental health by taking a nap. It also helps my physical health by taking short naps to rest my mind.

Block 14: Skill

"A knowledge of and the ability to properly and quickly execute the fundamentals. Be prepared and cover every little detail."

Developing multiple skills can help you identify what industry you would like/not like to pursue long term. This is a huge benefit for those who are in their early 20’s because you’re entering the “real world” with a clean slate. Most people graduate college and have absolutely no clue what they want to do. This is the perfect time to explore different areas and identify what area(s) are a great fit for you. Instead of going back to college for more degrees, you can pick up new skills by taking effective online courses for a fraction of the cost Most wealthy people have at least five income streams. The best way to get off of the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle is to add another source(s) of income. As “job security” becomes less secure, this is a very smart approach. If you were to get laid off from your day job tomorrow, you won’t have to worry too much if you have some type of income coming from elsewhere, whether it be passive income or a side business. There are so many ways to earn income. Some examples include: being a Lyft/Uber driver, freelancing, tutoring/coaching, affiliate marketing, online courses, ebooks, stocks and other forms of investing. Depending on what you pursue, your extra income from utilizing additional skills can help you become financially free, finance your own business, take more vacations, pay off debt, pay for school, or quit your day job and/or become location independent.

Block 15:  Team Spirit

"A genuine consideration for others. An eagerness to sacrifice personal interests of glory for the welfare of all."

The group must know that they work with you, not for you. If something good happens as a result of a suggestion you received, give credit to the person who made the suggestion. If something bad happens as a result of a suggestion that you received, take the blame. As Coach liked to say, “The star of the team is the team.”One of Coach Wooden’s three rules for practice was, “Never criticize a teammate.” In the workplace, try using Napoleon Hill’s advice: “If you have something to say to somebody or about somebody, think if it will help them or hurt them. If it will help them say it; if it will hurt them, don’t.” Create a culture where negative criticism and gossip are not accepted.When you praise, give praise to those who are seldom acknowledged. Coach Wooden did this when he spoke to the media about his team. In the workplace, for example, praise your “backbone team” (clerical staff) or “first contact team” (receptionists). Coach used the analogy of a racecar and pointed out that a bolt that keeps a wheel on the car is just as important as the powerful engine that runs it. Everybody should know why their job is important and feel that their effort is appreciated.

Block 16: Honesty (in thought and action)

"Honesty is the best policy." (Ben Franklin)

Honesty is going to take you places in life that you never could have dreamed and it’s the easiest thing you can practice in order to be happy, successful and fulfilled. Honesty is part of the foundation of my core values and principles. Honesty cuts through deception and knifes its way through deceit and lies. Honesty leads to a fulfilling, free life.Honesty is not just about telling the truth. It’s about being real with yourself and others about who you are, what you want and what you need to live your most authentic life. Honesty promotes openness, empowers us and enables us to develop consistency in how we present the facts. Honesty sharpens our perception and allows us to observe everything around us with clarity.A life of simplicity can be defined as a life that has removed all of the non essentials. It is marked by oneness. It is uncomplicated. As a result, it is freeing. It allows our lives to be focused on the things that are most important to us.Simplicity in life cannot be achieved without honesty. Honesty can live without simplicity, but simplicity cannot live without honesty. Consider the fact that every time we are not truthful, we create an alternate reality. And subsequently, we are forced to live a life in both worlds: the true one and the one we’ve created. On the other hand, when we choose honesty in all aspects of life including our marriage, our business, and our relationships, we live the same life wherever we are. Honesty leads to simplicity, but dishonesty leads to duplicity the exact opposite.

Block 17: Resourcefulness (proper judgment)
 “Make the most out of what you have.” (Anonymous)

"If you have a dream, if you have something you've always wanted to do, look within yourself because that is where resourcefulness resides; and go for it. (Jennifer Witterick)

How do students learn to use knowledge to achieve goals? Unless information is processed, organized, and applied, knowledge can become a source of frustration rather than fulfillment. Children learn to use and apply knowledge as they gain skills in planning, organizing, decision making, and problem solving. Together, these skills are the building blocks of resourcefulness the ability to find and use available resources to achieve goals. When students imagine multiple outcomes, set objectives, experiment with new approaches, and negotiate challenges, they make important connections between knowledge and goal achievement. They become conscientious creators of their own futures.High grades and test scores are not reliable indicators of resourcefulness. In fact, most teachers know bright college graduates who struggle to resolve everyday problems. Being resourceful takes more than cognitive skill. It takes the ability to process information emotionally as well as intellectually. Research shows that resourceful students are not only better at achieving their goals, but also respond better under stress. One study showed that academic stress adversely impacted the grades of students who were low in resourcefulness, but had no impact on the grades of highly resourceful students.In recent years, we've come to recognize the set of brain processes that help children achieve their goals as executive functioning skills. Housed in the frontal lobes, they help students plan, start, oversee, and finish tasks big and small. These same skills enable students to chart fulfilling courses through life. When these abilities are weak, everyday living can feel like being on a ship without a rudder.Resourcefulness is part of The Compass Advantage™ (a model designed for engaging families, schools, and communities in the principles of positive youth development) because the ability to determine and shape our futures contributes to lifelong happiness and success. Linked by research to each of the other Compass abilities especially sociability, resilience, creativity, and self-awareness resourcefulness is one of the 8 Pathways to Every Student's Success.

Block 18: Poise

"Just being yourself. Being at ease in any situation."

To be poised is to have both a mental and physical mastery over yourself.  It’s clarity and forthrightness under pressure. It’s steadfast confidence and decisive, rational action. It’s phronesis, strength, and composure.

Poise is shown in the graceful and elegant bearing of a person. It is the lost skill of a lady. But you’d never the world didn’t have enough of it until it has sauntered passed you like a breath of fresh air. In general, there are three main tenets of poise: grace, posture, and composure.In order to embody grace and femininity you need to have poise. It is shown in the way you walk, speak, and present yourself. It’s what makes the difference between a Miley Cyrus and a Grace Kelly. People used to purposefully study to cultivate  deportment, control, and refinement. You see that with the actress Grace Kelly. Miley Cyrus, the singer, is on the opposite end of the spectrum cultivates shock value instead.When you watch a Grace Kelly film, or many other old Hollywood films, you’ll see echoes of poise in the way the women behaved and carried themselves. They had a finesse in their manner and speech that was graceful and elegant, but strong. They commanded respect while subtlety exuding attractiveness and charm. Grace Kelly was famous for this. It always seemed as if she didn’t walk through the door but floated through it. it will help the body in many ways and it will also help you in life in many ways. Poise is a way of making your life and body better by relaxing and elegant.

Block 19: Confidence 

"Thorough preparation breeds confidence" Gerald Bell in

"The Carolina Way"

When you stop engaging in the present moment and begin to think about how you look, sound, feel, smell, etc., you’re creating an immediate disconnect. Whether you’re disconnecting from a conversation or general experience, the effect is the same: You immediately lose confidence.This loss of confidence creates an energetic wave that is felt by everyone in the same room, interacting with you or listening to you speak.It took me some time to understand this concept myself, but it’s amazing how someone else’s perception of and connection to you can change the instant that you disengage with the present moment and go into your head. It makes it harder for them to connect to your message or to you, leaving them uncertain and uninterested.The trick to living in the present moment is constant practice. When you catch yourself engaging in a viscous thought cycle rather than the present moment (or the person you’re with), use your senses to gently guide you back. Speak, take in the smells, notice the textures that you can feel.People that appear totally cool and collected, they are 100 percent engaged in the present moment.

Block 20: Reliability (creates respect)

Reliability has to do with the quality of measurement. In its everyday sense, reliability is the "consistency" or "repeatability" of your measures. Before we can define reliability precisely we have to lay the groundwork. First, you have to learn about the foundation of reliability, the true score theory of measurement. Along with that, you need to understand the different types of measurement error because errors in measures play a key role in degrading reliability. With this foundation, you can consider the basic theory of reliability, including a precise definition of reliability. There you will find out that we cannot calculate reliability -- we can only estimate it. Because of this, there a variety of different types of reliability that each have multiple ways to estimate reliability for that type. In the end, it's important to integrate the idea of reliability with the other major criteria for the quality of measurement -- validity -- and develop an understanding of the relationships between reliability and validity in measurement.

The term reliability in psychological research refers to the consistency of a research study or measuring test.For example, if a person weighs themselves during the course of a day they would expect to see a similar reading. Scales which measured weight differently each time would be of little use.The same analogy could be applied to a tape measure which measures inches differently each time it was used. It would not be considered reliable.If findings from research are replicated consistently they are reliable. A correlation coefficient can be used to assess the degree of reliability. If a test is reliable it should show a high positive correlation.Of course, it is unlikely the exact same results will be obtained each time as participants and situations vary, but a strong positive correlation between the results of the same test indicates reliability.There are two types of reliability – internal and external reliability.Internal reliability assesses the consistency of results across items within a test. External reliability refers to the extent to which a measure varies from one use to another. 

Block 21: Fight (determined effort)

Fight is a determined effort to do the very best we can do...It's digging in, gritting our teeth, standing our ground. When we have fight, we are always ready to respond. We are quick but we don't hurry. We make fewer mistakes because we have the level of our intensity under control. A player with fight has a contained fire burning in his or her belly. This emerges as focused passion. Players with fight never lose a game; they just run out of time. Perhaps I should have chosen a different word. Fight has some negative connotations that I don't want to communicate. In no way is this mortar quality about an opponent. There was a time when I would talk about "being better than the opponent." I don't anymore. Make no mistake; I always want to win, but I never fight with an opponent. My fight is within me—it is the struggle to be the best I can be at whatever I do. There is no such thing as losing when we've made the effort to do the best we can. If we use our fight and determination to do our best, success will take care of itself. Under each piece of mortar on the Pyramid, in parentheses, there is some brief application advice or a description of that mortar. In the original Pyramid under “Fight,” Coach wrote: “effort and hustle.” Later, when Coach revised and perfected the Pyramid, he changed the description to read: “determined effort.” Coach’s motivation for the change was clear. He wanted to make certain we understood that just making an effort was not real fight. Fight isn’t about  

Block 22: Competitive Greatness

" Be at your best when your best is needed. Enjoyment of a difficult challenge."

Competitive Greatness is having a real love for the hard battle knowing it offers the opportunity to be at your best when your best is required.The great competitors I have played for and against, taught and admired all shared a joy in the struggle itself - the journey, the contest and competition. The tougher the battle the better.A leader must convey this to those you lead: a tough fight can bring forth Competitive Greatness. The hard battle inspires and motivates a great competitor to dig deep inside. That's why I relish the challenge a worthy competitor presents. You are tested. When properly prepared you will rise to your highest level and achieve Competitive Greatness.The top block on Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, Competitive Greatness, is defined as, “Be at your best when your best is needed. Enjoyment of a difficult challenge.”Coach never mentioned being competitive in association with winning or being a great competitor in association with being a winner. For John Wooden, being a great competitor was not about winning or losing.He had a much higher standard.Coach described competitive greatness this way: “The next and last block in the structure just above poise and confidence is competitive greatness. This is the ability to be at your very best when your very best is needed.... What a wonderful thing competitive greatness is, enjoying it when things are difficult.

Block 23: Integrity (purity of intention)
Honesty or accuracy of one’s actions requires intentional and thought. How honest or accurate are your behaviors, actions, and words with other people that you lead? I was at a meeting recently with a CEO who cares deeply about values yet is out of integrity because there is a lack of honesty and authenticity in how he behaves. While he says that he cares about teamwork, he doesn’t listen to others and gets defensive when challenged with different views. He believes in creating a culture of love but publicly berates and belittles junior employees.

Block 24: Faith (through prayer)

Believe and Achieve. Positive belief.

I don't believe in god

Block 25: Patience (good things take time)

In relationships with others, patience becomes a form of kindness. Think of the best friend who comforts you night after night over the heartache that just won’t go away, or the grandchild who smiles through the story she has heard her grandfather tell countless times. Indeed, research suggests that patient people tend to be more cooperative, more emphatic, more equitable, and more forgiving. “Patience involves emphatically assuming some personal discomfort to alleviate the suffering of those around us,” write Debra R. Comer and Leslie E. Seeker in their 2014 study.Evidence of this is found in a 2008 study that put participants into groups of four and asked them to contribute money to a common pot, which would be doubled and redistributed. The game gave players a financial incentive to be stingy, yet patient people contributed more to the pot than other players did.In relationships with others, patience becomes a form of kindness. Think of the best friend who comforts you night after night over the heartache that just won’t go away, or the grandchild who smiles through the story she has heard her grandfather tell countless times. Indeed, research suggests that patient people tend to be more cooperative, more emphatic, more equitable, and more forgiving. being patience is one of the best things ever.

Reflection

my reflection on this pyramid of success is that