Block 5, Cooperation (Bot9 #118)

Cooperation - Block 5, John Wooden's Pyramid of Success

by Keith Wahl

The last of the foundational blocks and the third of the "people blocks" serving as the base of the Pyramid of Success is Cooperation. Wooden says the following about Cooperation:

Some individuals, such as writers and scientists, often work alone and accomplish much. But in my opinion, those who primarily work alone will never become all they could become if they were working in cooperation with others. Working as a part of a team makes us much more than we could ever be alone.

Ironically, some of the greatest periods in creative history have been due to writers and artists cooperating with one another. Woody Allen's film, Midnight in Paris, highlights the idea of the "Lost Generation" from the Jazz Age with authors and artists working together such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Pablo Picasso.

Other artistic movements such as the Renaissance and Post-Impressionism didn't occur because of the single whim of a single man, but rather the collective experience and cooperation of many.

It's important to attempt to live out the following verse when thinking about Cooperation:

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. - Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)

Cooperation is vital to our daily walk and we must avoid the temptation to live life like a lone wolf. Take some time today to find the opportunity to cooperate with a colleague at work, a friend, or your spouse at home. Be blessed as "iron sharpens iron" in your life.