Penta’tude – The five studies of his success
In 1941, Major General Hugh ‘Pat’ Casey designed the Pentagon in just three days. Construction began thirty days later, and sixteen months later, on January 15, 1943, this now world-famous office building was completed. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense and the command and control nerve center dedicated to protecting the national interests of the United States. You have your own Pentagon of spells within you. This Pentagon, or Penta’tude as I have come to call it, has a direct impact on your protection, growth and success and is made up of these five ‘tudes: Crowd, Magnitude, Latitude, Attitude and Gratitude.
Let’s take a look at each of these walls supporting your own personal Penta’tude.
Crew
As we go about our daily lives, a multitude of opportunities present themselves. However, a multitude of challenges also come your way. If you spend your time worrying about challenges, you will end up erasing those opportunities. To give you an example of what I’m talking about, take a dime and look at it with your arms outstretched. Small, thin, not ominous. But if you put all your attention on it and bring it close to your eye, it will erase the world as you see it. Worse yet, the closer you zoom in, the more focus is lost and the edges are blurred. Now you really don’t know where the challenge ends and the opportunities begin. Focusing on opportunities instead of challenges increases your chances of success, not to mention increasing the level of success you can and will achieve.
Magnitude
This works closely with Crowd. As you go through your opportunities and challenges in life and business, you need to magnify the important things. Focus on the magnitude and impact of your core values, desires, and defined primary purpose. Reduce the magnitude of challenges that seem insurmountable. “Don’t Make Mountains Out of a Molehill” Apply strategic thinking and brainstorming techniques to break down those seemingly insurmountable obstacles. (I have an article on using brainstorming to solve problems. If you’re interested, email me at mailto:[email protected]?subject=brainstorming_article.) On the other side of this coin, don’t let a big win in your success make you think you’re set for life. Every good businessman knows that if his business is not growing, then he is dying. Because if you stand still while everyone else is moving forward, respectively, you’re falling behind. Enjoy that great success; bask in the glow and pride it gives you. Then sit back and plan the next big win.
Latitude
This is your permission to dream! You have the freedom to be all you can be, to perform any task you wish as long as it is within the bounds of human decency and the letter of the law. This is a liberating freedom given only to humanity. We are the only creature on this great planet (that I know of) that has the ability to create its own destiny and then fulfill it. Regardless of your color, creed, religion, education, or circumstances, you can, if you decide and take the necessary steps, move from where you are now to where you have always wanted to be.
Attitude
This is the starting point of your journey to success. Whether you call it disposition, manners, temperament, spirit, focus, position, posture, perspective, or opinion, your attitude has a great influence on your level of success.
Attitude is defined as:
1. Personal view of something: a general opinion or feeling about something
or a positive attitude toward change
2. Body Posture: A physical posture, either conscious or unconscious, especially when interacting with others.
Your attitude, feelings or moods will infect or affect the actions, moods and feelings of those around you. If you face the world with a cheerful and expectant attitude, the world (and those in it) will know that you expect more of it and will act accordingly. If you face the world with a negative and downtrodden attitude, it will know that you expect bad deeds from it and it will give you those deeds. Remember that the world will reflect your attitude. Your attitude towards the world will determine its attitude towards you (cause and effect). So, one of the main rules for a successful life is to know that the world is a mirror, often a merciless mirror, of ourselves and of the habitual attitude that we carry within us. (I have full articles on attitude email mailto:[email protected], on how to stay positive email mailto:[email protected] and 4 Ways to Stay Motivated mailto:successarticle_7@sendfree. com)
Gratitude
I saved the best for last. As always, the greatest rules are the simplest, like “Do to others what you would have done to yourself.” The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more you will have to express gratitude for. You will never find a happy person who is not a grateful person, so gratitude is a wonderful place to start. Expressing gratitude for what you have instead of complaining about what you lack keeps you focused on the positive. Staying on this positive side positively impacts the other four walls of your successful Penta’tude. As we all teach our children, the magic word is “Thank you!” You are a wonderful breathing, thinking, creating and self-actualizing creature, take the time to sit and reflect on all the wonders that are already in your life and how you can build on them.
Use these five key walls of your Penta’tude to build and ensure your growth and success in both your personal and professional life. Sit down now and check your current walls. If you find holes or weakened sections of your Penta’tude, focus on them. Making this Penta’tude a part of who you are will do wonders in moving you towards your desires, dreams and your ultimate defined purpose.
Think successfully and act!
(C) Tracy Brinkmann 2000-2005 all rights reserved – http://www.successatlas.com