Brian Johnson (Heroic +1 #1900) reflects on a recent boys-only weekend where his son Emerson enthusiastically helped prepare an ice bath. Johnson links Emerson’s joyful energy to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s admonition to be active and to John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, emphasizing that the base qualities—having fun (enthusiasm) and working hard—lead toward competitive greatness. He closes by urging listeners to show up with enthusiasm and work hard, and points to the book "Wooden on Leadership" for more.
Chapters
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic plus one. In the last couple plus ones, we talked about Emerson and I dominating our boys only weekend away chess tournament protocols.
As you may recall, I celebrated his enthusiasm while helping me get some ice for my hotel room ice bath.
Thanks to our heroic coach and president, Michael Balschan for that brilliant idea. Then we chatted about my dilemma of which heroic sports team I watched that Saturday night.
Well, he played his final match.
Will it be Notre Dame football or Toronto fc?
Yes, please.
I watched both.
Then we chatted about how as awesome as watching elite athletes do their thing is, the ultimate reason why sports are so popular and potentially empowering is because those elite performers show us what we're capable of achieving.
Which is why the moment Emerson walked.
In at 9pm I turned the Notre Dame football game off so we could execute our PM protocol so he could.
Show up heroically in his big game.
Now today I want to go back to the ice bath conversation. After we hammered that mission to get the bath nice and cold, measured by ice cubes still floating in the bath.
I shared that Ralph Waldo Emerson quote with him.
I repeat, the way he hustled between the ice machine and the hotel bathtub and tried to hold the bag just right so all the ice got in there was awesome. It was the embodiment of Ralph Waldo's admonition to be active and energetic. You know me and how easily I get goosebumps and tears in my eyes. And I just got them again as I felt into his commitment to joyful excellence. I want to be him when I.
Grow up, is my joke to Phil.
When we talk about him seriously.
So after I shared the Ralph Waldo.
Quote with my Emerson, I told him that his enthusiasm reminded me of John.
Wooden's wisdom as well.
He and I hadn't talked about it.
For a while, so I wasn't sure.
If he'd remember it. I asked him if he did. He said, you mean the thing about competitive greatness? To which I said, impressed he remembered that phrase. Yeah, exactly.
You remember the two qualities that form.
The base of Wooden's pyramid of success.
Of which competitive greatness is at the.
Top, to which he said, hmm, having fun and working hard. To which I said, exactly. Enthusiasm or having fun doing what you love to do, and a commitment to working hard to squeeze all the potential out of yourself in pursuit of mastery.
And that's today's plus one.
You want to attain competitive greatness in your life, whether that's in your energy.
Your work, or your love, or of course, an integration and full expression of all three.
Awesome.
Show up with enthusiasm and work hard and give us all you've got all.
Day, every day, especially today. P.S.
Check out the notes on Wooden on Leadership, one of my all time favorite books.
For more on Wooden's Pyramid of success and PPS. I just realized this is plus one number 1900. Awesome.
