Monday, June 24, 2013

POISE -John R. Wooden's Pyramid of Success #13

POISE

POISE block #13 of John R. Wooden's Pyramid of Success. 

"I define Poise as being true to oneself, not getting rattled, thrown off, or unbalanced regardless of the circumstance or situation. This may sound easy, but in challenging times Poise can be a most elusive quality. Leaders lacking Poise panic under pressure. So does everyone else.

Poise means holding fast to your principles and acting in accordance with them regardless of how bad or good the situation may be. Poise means avoiding pose or pretense, comparing yourself to others, or acting like someone you're not. Poise means having a brave heart in all circumstances.

You'll know you possess Poise when you achieve what Rudyard Kipling described in his poem written a hundred years ago:

"If you can meet Triumph and Disaster
And treat those imposters just the same..."

That's Poise: not being thrown off stride in how you behave or what you believe because of outside events. 

How do you acquire Poise? In fact, you don't. Poise acquires you. It is part of the harvest you reap near the top of my Pyramid of Success. In effect, Poise is a powerful gift you give yourself when you acquire the blocks of the Pyramid-those in the preceding three tiers.

And, where you find Poise you will find its valuable companion which I placed next to it near the top of the Pyramid; namely, Confidence."

-John R. Wooden


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