PILLARS OF
Introduction Hi, I am a dad, coach, international speaker, published author and founder of the Pillars of Greatness, a program to help you unlock the greatness within you. For over 18 years, I have helped people turn their fears, frustrations and failures into powerful success stories, and now it is your turn. Building on my own experience, as well as training world champion athletes and high achieving business executives, I have developed the Pillars of Greatness curriculum, a step-by-step guide on how to Dream, Plan and Execute your way to a legendary life. Welcome to your Pillars of Greatness training manual. This manual gives you the tips, tools and strategies to move past what has been holding you back and help you reach your dreams. yourself. Enjoy this journey; take your time, do your best, follow the program step-by-step and be honest with Have fun, good luck and keep dreaming, planning and executing your way to a legendary life. #BOOYAH For my up to date motivation and inspiration, be sure to download my itunes radio podcast show www.howlegendsaremade.ca
PILLARS OF PILLAR #1 Define your Dream 1
Commitment Although chasing your dream is important, achieving success requires you to excel in all aspect of your life. On the lines provided, please write the roles you have, the things you do, or the people you spend time with in each area. (I.e.: Personal for family, write down the specific people you have in your family) Personal Family and close friends Rate Careers School, sports, (anything structured) Rate Volunteering Helping others Rate Social What you do when you are hanging out Rate Health Exercise, sleep, hydration, eating habits Rate
Commitment In order to achieve success, it is essential that you are legendary in each area of your life at all times. (I.e. if you are excelling in sport, but not doing well in school, your weakest area will slow you down) Go back to the previous section and rate your performance 1-10 (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest) in each area of your life. Be honest with yourself. Once completed, add the combined total of all 5 areas and record here. Combined rating /5 = Average rating Great work. This is where the fun and changes happen. Next step; List all 5 areas in your life from weakest to strongest; List the 5 ways you can improve your performance in each area. (I.E. What can you do to increase your focus on work? What can you do to be a better co-worker, sibling, parent, teammate, etc.) Consider things that you can implement now (Use more paper or the back of this page if necessary) Area # 1 Accountability partner: Area # 2 Accountability partner: Area # 3 Accountability partner: Area # 4 Accountability partner: Area # 5 Accountability partner:
Accountability You have rated the 5 areas of your life, listed them weakest through strongest and determined what you can do to improve their respective performances. There is one more step. You can only be held accountable if you have agreed to it before hand. So, in order to help you (and challenge you) reach your dreams, it s now time to hold yourself accountable to improving your performance in each of the 5 areas of your life. Go back to the previous page and add one person for each area of your life who will hold you accountable to the 5 ways you are committed to improving your performance in that area of your life. Once you have identified these people (You may pick the same person for more than one area), speak with them in person (Or call them if you don t see them regularly) and tell them the following; 1. You are doing The Pillars of Greatness. Teaching you how to build a legendary life 2. You are working on improving the 5 areas of your life 3. Ask them if they are willing to be your accountability partner (Tell them the area(s) of your life that you have picked them for) 4. Explain the 5 ways you are committed to improving your performance in that area (Repeat for each area) 5. Ask for their suggestion(s) or idea(s) on helping you improve your performances Now it s your responsibility to do the 5 things you said you would in each area of your life. If new ideas come to you, or your accountability partner suggests how you can improve your performance in that area of your life, feel free to make changes. Take your time, do your best, following the program step-by-step and be honest with yourself and your accountability partner. Check in with your accountability partner at least 3x/week. In 2 weeks, rate your performance in the 5 areas of your life once more. Record your score. Combined rating /5 = Average rating Keep using these steps until your score is above 45, and once it is, use these steps from time to time to be sure you are on track to legendary status.
What is your dream? Allow yourself to write the most elaborate dream possible. Make it BIG and SPECIFIC. Write as though you have the MAGIC-WAND to make anything AND everything come true. Allow yourself to fantasize and imagine the greatest dream possible. Let go of the shackles that have kept you locked and held back for years. Dream, and DREAM BIG!!! 97% of people do not dream big enough so that means if you want to get into the top 3%, you have to dream BIG. It all starts with you breathing life into your dream!! What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
What do you love about yourself? What brings you joy? This is the same joy you experienced as a child when you were immersed on the things that meant the most to you. What are you passionate about?
What is your why? The thing(s) that inspire(s) you to chase down your dream (Yes, you can have more than 1 why) Gratitude List Record 100 things you are grateful for. Think beyond the things you like. Sometimes the lessons received from challenges, struggles and setbacks are your greatest gifts.
PILLARS OF PILLAR #2 Build your Plan 2
Environment Its been said that we are products of our environment, I also believe we have the power to produce a legendary environment. Contribution Giving pack, paying it forward and serving others is an essential part of being a legend. There are many ways this can be accomplished. (Giving to family, friends, neighbors, organizations, sports teams, school, etc.) List the ways you contribute to your environment. (Here is the key Your contribution must be done with the other persons/people in mind and with no expectation of anything in return). How do you contribute to your environment? How did you feel while you were helping out and serving others? Nice job. Whether you have a long list of things you do, or only a few, there is always room for improvement. What can you do to increase your contribution to your environment?
Participation Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It s not just in some of us; it s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others. Marianne Williamson You have gifts and talents that the world wants to experience. Imagine what would have happened if Steve Jobs (founder of Apple) had have played a small game and not shared his talents with the world? Now it is your time to shine your greatness to the world. How can you take action and say what needs to be said, or do what needs to make your dream(s) a reality? (Is there something you want to discuss with a teacher, coach, co-worker, community leader or trusted friend?) **Do you bring the absolute best of you to everything you do? If not, review the 5 areas of your life (from earlier in the manual), rate them and see where you need to step up your efforts. Since 1998 I have been helping people make legendary results and although each of these people had different journeys, they all had one thing in common; a legendary army of supporters. Legends in the making pick legendary people for their legendary army. Now it s your turn.
Building your Legendary Army List the people you currently lean on for support and guidance; (Use your accountability partners as starters) If you have a power list, congratulations! Most people do not (Myself included when I first started). If your list consists of less than 10 people, let s get to work. You have the luxury and freedom to create a legendary army that serves you and your dream. Select 10 people you admire, respect, look up to and believe have the leadership and knowledge to help you reach your dreams. **Be sure each person you are selecting has more, knows more and is willing to share it with you.
Legendary Army Your legendary is picked! NOW WHAT?? Let s build and activate your army. You are only adding the best people to your team, because you have serious dreams to chase down. Follow these steps; Step 1 Contact each of the people you have picked (Either in person or over the phone). Step 2 When you speak with your person explain the following; You are following the Pillars of Greatness Program and you are building a legendary army of people you respect, admire and look up to and you have selected them as a candidate to your army. Go on to explain the following; Here is who I am (Tell them about you Your why, your passions, your strengths and the areas you are improving). Here is where I am (Explain where you are in your journey). Here is where I am going (Talk about your dream). Step 3 Ask if they are interested and available to join your army? Step 4 If no, say thank you and move to the next person. If yes, thank them and ask for their ideas, support or suggestions on how you can move forward to reaching our dream. Step 5 complete the direction suggested and schedule a follow up phone/in person meeting to report your results. Step 6 Plan regular meetings and keep your entire army up to date with your progress (Including the people who may be supporting you in other areas in your journey to your dream)
PILLARS OF PILLAR #3 Execute your plan The section of the manual is about taking action and DOING rather than TALKING. Greatness is within you. Always has. Always will be. Whether you are building your plan for the first time or creating a new plan for another dream. Becoming a legend requires you to acknowledge that greatness residing within you. When you believe in you as much as you want others to believe in you, success will find you 3
Momentum It has been said that over 60% of the fuel used in a NASA Space Shuttle launch is used within the first 60 seconds of a launch. The start requires the greatest amount of work and once the shuttle gets moving, momentum becomes one of its allies. Becoming a legend is the same. Your efforts required throughout your journey will be high, and your start will demand your greatest commitment and attention. Rather than wishing for success at the start, strive for momentum. Once momentum is on your side, success will be on its way to you! You have taken your inventory, gotten very clear on your dream, built a plan, and now, with your army beside you, it s time to roll up your sleeves and do your work! The start will be tough and you can do it! In the moments when you feel like giving up, packing it in or changing directions, lean on your legendary army and ask for help because LEGENDS know one thing. Success is earned! #BOOYAH Limiting Beliefs vs. Limiting Actions It has often been said that limiting beliefs have the power to slow you down and, in some cases stop you in your tracks. Although your beliefs are powerful, your limiting decisions create your reality. What actions can you take today that will get you moving and start the momentum you need to make your dreams come true? What weaknesses are you addressing with your accountability partner(s)? Are you on track? If not, what do you need to step up your game?
Results; Success and Failure Success and failure are both powerful results, chalked full of insight, wisdom and growth. Rather than seeing failure as bad and success as good, see them both as essentials steps to reaching your dreams. Success; What does success look like to you? What lessons would you learn from achieving success? Failure; What does failure look like to you? What lessons would you learn from failing?
Execute How often are you connecting with your legendary army? Are you following their direction and leadership? If not, what do you need to step up your game? How often are you connecting to your accountability partners? Are you following their direction and leadership? If not, what do you need to step up your game? Motivation and Inspiration Motivation comes from outside sources, while inspiration comes from within. Motivation and Inspiration are both important, What motivates you into action? Remember, taking ACTION in the direction of your dreams gets you results you want. What inspires you into action? Remember, taking ACTION in the direction of your dreams gets you results you want.
Leadership Although you depend on leadership from your legendary army and your accountability partners, you must also lead your life. Identify 5 ways you are demonstrating NEW LEVELS of leadership in your life. In 1998 I started sharing the Pillars of Greatness with the world, since then, I have helped thousands become legends. You are now on the same path that everyone before you has walked on. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for making yourself a priority Your dreams matter, because you MATTER. Continue to follow your manual as you dream, plan and execute your way to a legendary life.
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED YOUR FIRST JOURNEY THROUGH THE PILLARS OF. You are: Dreaming. Planning. Executing Choosing YOUR greatness is YOUR choice! Your Pillars of Greatness Program and Manual is your blueprint. Continue to refer to it as you move closer to your dream. Watch for new and exciting Pillars of Greatness programs and join the danblackburn.com community today! For my up to date motivation and inspiration, be sure to download my itunes radio podcast show www.howlegendsaremade.ca