Ron Swanson developed the Pyramid of Greatness over the course of many years. It's a perfectly calibrated recipe for maximum personal achievement. Likely inspired by the Wooden Pyramid of Success. Ron shows the pyramid while coaching a boys basketball team (Go Big or Go Home).

(Categories listed top to bottom by importance)

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Category 1 Edit

Honor: If you need it defined, you don't have it.

Category 2 Edit

America: The only country that matters. If you want to experience other "cultures", use an atlas or a ham radio.

The only country that matters. If you want to experience other "cultures", use an atlas or a ham radio. Buffets: Whenever available. Choose quantity over quality.

Category 3 Edit

Weapons

Wood working

Welfare avoidance

Category 4 Edit

Teamwork: Work together as if your life depends on it... IT DOES!

Work together as if your life depends on it... IT DOES! Selfishness: Take what's yours.

Take what's yours. Haircuts: 3 acceptable styles: High and Tight, Crew Cut & Buzz Cut.

3 acceptable styles: High and Tight, Crew Cut & Buzz Cut. Greatness itself: The best revenge.

Category 5 Edit

Discipline: The ability to repeat a boring thing over and over again.

The ability to repeat a boring thing over and over again. Attire: Shorts over 6" are capri pants. Shorts under 6" are European.

Shorts over 6" are capri pants. Shorts under 6" are European. Self-reliance: Trust yourself.

Trust yourself. Suspicion: Do not trust anyone else.

Do not trust anyone else. Skim milk: That's right. It's on here twice. Avoid it.

Category 6 Edit

Cow protein

Pig protein

Chicken Protein

Romantic love

Deer protein

Fish (Sport only)

Category 7 Edit

Intensity: Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that.

Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that. Torso: Should be thick and impenetrable.

Old wooden sailing ships: They're beautiful

They're beautiful B.O: Cultivating a manly musk puts your opponents on notice.

Cultivating a manly musk puts your opponents on notice. Stillness: Don't waste energy moving unless necessary.

Don't waste energy moving unless necessary. Skim milk: Avoid it.

Cursing: There's only one bad word: taxes. If any other word is good enough for sailors, it's good enough for you.

Category 8 Edit

Friends: One to three is sufficient.

One to three is sufficient. Property rights: They exist. Do not let them be taken away from you.

They exist. Do not let them be taken away from you. Masonry: Building walls makes you strong. Defending them makes you even stronger.

Building walls makes you strong. Defending them makes you even stronger. Cabins: Places to rest that are made of logs.

Places to rest that are made of logs. Perspiration: Only sweat during physical activity or love making. No emotional sweating.

Only sweat during physical activity or love making. No emotional sweating. You: You are your biggest ally and your worst enemy, at the same time.

You are your biggest ally and your worst enemy, at the same time. Crying: Acceptable at funerals and the Grand Canyon.

Acceptable at funerals and the Grand Canyon. Physical Fitness

Category 9 Edit