With their win in Sunday's Super Bowl, the New England Patriots are being considered by many as a sports "dynasty." In the world of sports, this is the pinnacle of excellence, and for good reason. It means that you have not only reached the top of the mountain but that you've found a way to stay on top. This is no small feat. Perhaps, that is why only one team is able to achieve this distinction each decade.

Well, creating a personal dynasty is no less challenging. It's hard enough to become your company's #1 salesperson, Employee of the Month, or a best-selling author even once. Yet, to be able to consistently earn recognition as "the best" is enormously difficult. However, this is what distinguishes the all-time greats from the flashes in the pan. It's also what distinguishes a good life from a great life.

Let's face it. Having one great year in life just isn't enough. After all, would you want your children to say: "Mommy/Daddy was a great parent in 2005, and then he/she sort of faded into mediocrity"? Or would you want them to say that you were a great parent every year? I think I can safely assume that you want to be consistently great as a parent. You probably also want to be consistently great as a businessperson, community member, friend, church volunteer or what have you.

You certainly don't want to be one of those people who was great "way back when," but is now the subject of a VH1 "Where Are They Now?" episode. Well, the way to avoid this fate is to refuse to rest on your laurels. If 2004 was a great year for you, then make sure that 2005 is even better. If you want to build a dynasty, you can't rely on what you used to be. As the old saying goes, "Used to bees don't make no honey!"

Start Your Own Dynasty (Part II)

So how do you create a personal dynasty? Well, you do so in the same way that sports teams achieve this level - by sticking to the fundamentals. John Wooden's UCLA basketball teams won 10 NCCA championships in 11 years. How? By excelling at the fundamentals of basketball - passing, shooting, rebounding and defending. The same could be said of Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers who dominated the NFL during the 1960s by - you guessed it - mastering the fundamentals of blocking and tackling.

Well, if you want to create your own dynasty, then you must make a conscious effort to master the fundamentals of life - determination, attitude, success and happiness. You use determination to keep that fire burning to make your dash burn as long and as bright as possible. You use a positive mental attitude to face the inevitable obstacles that will be placed in the path of your destiny. You create successful habits that will allow you to overcome any obstacle. And lastly, you focus on being happy in the moment, because that's what your dash is - a series of moments.

By consistently living by the DASH Principles, you can achieve your own personal dynasty. And while no one may ever acknowledge your achievements by pouring Gatorade down your back or inviting you to the White House to have lunch with the President, you will accomplish much more than can ever be accomplished on a football field, baseball diamond or basketball court. You will have set an example for your children, your industry and your community and in doing so, leave a legacy that will be remembered long after we've forgotten the outcome of Sunday's Super Bowl.