The Other Cornerstone: Enthusiasm

On the other side of the Pyramid foundation is my second powerful cornerstone: enthusiasm. By that I mean simply that you have to like what you’re doing; your heart must be in it. Without enthusiasm you can’t work up to your fullest ability.

I have a little problem with those who complain about their jobs—coaches who tell me how hard their job is, businesspeople who whine about this or that, teachers who complain about how tough they have it working with youngsters. Gracious sakes alive! The opportunity to teach and coach and work with youngsters hard? I believe otherwise.

And I believe it’s true in any profession. If you’re knocking it all the time, get out! Don’t whine, complain, or criticize. Just leave. Maybe you can’t leave immediately, today, right now, but understand you must eventually do it.

Because if you don’t enjoy your endeavors, it is almost impossible to have enthusiasm for them. And you must have enthusiasm to prepare and perform with industriousness. Enthusiasm ignites plain old work and transforms it into industriousness.

Enthusiasm brushes off on those with whom you come into contact, those you work with and for. You must have enthusiasm, especially if you’re a leader or if you wish to become a leader.

Leadership Requires Enthusiasm

People in positions of leadership have many responsibilities. They have to influence those under their supervision in a positive way. They must be interested in finding the best way rather than having their own way. Leaders must make sure that those under their supervision understand that they’re working with the leader, not for the leader.

But, most important, leaders must always generate enthusiasm if they wish to bring out the best in themselves and those under their supervision.

Regardless of whether you’re leading as a teacher, coach, parent, or businessperson, or you’re a member of a leadership team, you must have enthusiasm. Without it you cannot be industrious to the full level of your ability. With it you stimulate others to higher and higher levels of achievement.

So as the cornerstones of the Pyramid of Success I placed these two essential qualities: industriousness and enthusiasm. You must be willing to work hard, to be industrious. You must join that with enthusiasm. Separately each is powerful in its own particular way. Joined together they become a force of almost unimaginable power.

You need those qualities within yourself. And if you are a leader, you will soon instill those qualities in those under your supervision by your example.