There are an estimated 100 tribes in the world that have never had contact with the outside world. Can you believe the power of those words, “never had contact with the outside world?” I’ve attached a picture of one tribe that was recently documented, in Brazil, with a camera on a helicopter. I have a couple of observations:
1) They must be wondering what in the sam hill that big shiny bird thing is in the sky. If you’d never seen a helicopter or any other flying object, that would be quite a sight.
2) Why is one guy/girl Manute Bol-black and the other two look like they o.d.’ed on self-tan spray?
Any theories?
I was reading from a fantastic book this morning called “The Essential John Wooden.”. 
You may not have heard of him but he is considered the greatest college basketball coach in history, if not just coach in any sport. Aside from winning, Coach Wooden is known for having been a shaper of young men. His teams almost always won, but they often lacked superstars. Coach Wooden taught his players to be better men than players and that the team was more important than any one man. He considered them a success if they played as a team and had character. His players said, he would often get more mad at them when they won than when they lost, because maybe they won in a selfish or non-Wooden like way.
So to what does Coach Wooden attribute his success? The basis for his beliefs on what a person should be is a 7 Point Creed that his father taught him:
- Be true to yourself.
- Make each day your masterpiece.
- Help others.
- Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
- Make friendship a fine art.
- Build a shelter against a rainy day.
- Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.
Do these things above and you’ll be successful in life, career, relationships, and finance. This is wisdom that anyone can relate to. I might add to the list, some things that I TRY to live by:
- Pursue a career that you enjoy.
- God first, wife second, kids third, job fourth, everyone else next.
- Live below your means; always tithe, always save.
- Practice generosity, daily
- Give people benefit of the doubt
- Be dependable/trustworthy
- Don’t lie, cheat, or steal
- Never present problems without solutions (i.e. gripe)
- Be just and fair, and protect those that are being unjustly accused or attacked.
There are so many more things that I could write down that I try to live my life by. When I drift on any of these, I’m always aware back deep in my subconscious that something “ain’t right”, as my Business Law professor used to say. What kind of creed do you live your life by? Are there any points on these lists that you disagree with or things that I’ve left off? Let me know!
Tags: leadership, integrity
