I was just out of high school when I read my first John Wooden book. His simple beginnings and the clarity he provides through his Pyramid of Success consistently stick with me more than any other definition of success.
“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable”
-Coach John Wooden
His work continues to circle back into my life at important times and the latest instance was last week teaching third graders at Anderson Mill Elementary. The campus has an apprenticeship program where various professionals come in to work with the class while their teachers collaborate on upcoming lessons and assessments. Over the last four years, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing Wooden’s message through his children’s book Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success.
Thanks for having me today Anderson Mill for Apprenticeship! I always love sharing the lessons of @coachjwooden #pyramidofsuccess @ElizaJaneGordon #rrisd1family pic.twitter.com/wsQjMysmnd
— Ryan Smith (@RyanRRISD) February 13, 2018
When Lincoln and Harrison were born we read the poems to them each evening before bed and each block on the pyramid serves as an effective benchmark to refer to when we are working on skills, like self-control, determination, or cooperation.
I can’t recommend this book enough as a foundational bedrock to help our kids discover that success isn’t having trophies or toys, but rather trying to be the best you can be!
Ryan Smith 