900 Inspirational John Wooden Quotes On Leadership (2023)
1. “I had three rules for my players: No profanity. Don’t criticize a teammate. Never be late.”
2. “Discipline yourself, and others won’t need to.”. John Wooden
3. “All of life is peaks and valleys."
4. “You can always do more than you think you can.”
5. Do not let making a living prevent you from making a life. -John Wooden
6. “It takes time to create excellence
7. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” ~ John Wooden
8. The real deal for any leader is to think of efficient ways to put up with the team and bring them together to work as a good team.
9. “You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes.”
10. “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” –John Wooden
11. “Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.”
12. “Control emotion or emotion will control you.” - John Wooden
13. Rick on Your Story: You May Start Slow…
14. “There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.”. John Wooden
15. Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts. – John Wooden
16. Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating.
17. “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.” -John Wooden
18. “The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones.”. John Wooden
19. “Well, your greatest joy definitely comes from doing something for another, especially when it was done with no thought of something in return.”. John Wooden
20. “If a player’s not doing the things he should, put him on the bench. He’ll come around.”
21. “I probably have all the same faults anyone has, and so do you. . Having faults means you’re human; you’re alive and breathing. There’s nothing wrong with having faults so long as you work conscientiously to correct them. How hard you work at correcting your faults reveals your character.” – John Wooden
22. “Sometimes during practice he would have the guards switch positions with the forwards - have us do the other guy’s job.” - Gail Goodrich
23. “The best competition I have is against myself to become better. – John Wooden
24. “Never try to be better than someone else. Learn from others, and try to be the best you can be. Success is the by-product of that preparation.”
25. “Promise yourself that you will talk health, happiness, and prosperity as often as possible.” – John Wooden
26. ¨Don’t give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you.¨ – John Wooden
27. “Things work out the best for those who make the best of how things work out” – John Wooden
28. “It is the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” – John Wooden
29. “Teaching players during practices was what coaching was all about to me.” ― John Wooden
30. “It’s not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.”. John Wooden
31. “Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.”
32. Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. – John Wooden
33. “You have to apply yourself each day to become a little better
34. “Rest when you need to, but never quit.”
35. “I am just a common man who is true to his beliefs.”
36. “I’m glad I was a teacher.”
37. “Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.”
38. “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.“ – John Wooden
39. “Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating…too often fathers neglect it because they get so caught up in making a living they forget to make a life.”
40. “…my private notebook.” - John Wooden
41. We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.
42. “There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.” ~ John Wooden
43. Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.
44. “IF you are not making mistakes, then you are not doing anything….”
45. Do not make anyone feel less because of their jobs, and help them see why they and their jobs are important.
46. Always try to perform all the parts of your job, not just some aspects.
47. “A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit.” – John Wooden
48. “I would spend almost as much time planning a practice as conducting it. Everything was planned out each day”
49. You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By becoming a little better each and every day, over a period of time, you will become a lot better. - John Wooden
50. Just try to be the best you can be; never cease trying to be the best you can be. That’s in your power.– John Wooden
51. “Listen if you want to be heard”.
52. 52 Quotes to Build Confidence
53. “Today is the only day
54. “Insist that Members of Your Team Share the “Ball”—Information, Ideas, and More.”
55. “The goal in life is just the same as in basketball: make the effort to do the best you are capable of doing. in marriage, at your job, in the community, for your country. You may do it materially or with time, ideas, or work. Making the effort to contribute is what counts. The effort is what counts in everything.” – John Wooden
56. “First be the best and then be first”
57. “What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.”. John Wooden
58. “Just try to be the best you can be; never cease trying to be the best you can be. That’s in your power.” – John Wooden
59. “Make each day a masterpiece. Don’t think your best days are out there somewhere. Why not today? Why can’t today be a great day? It can if you believe it will.”
60. “Joy makes the longest journey too short.”. John Wooden
61. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” ~ John Wooden
62. “Make each day a masterpiece. Don’t think your best days are out there somewhere. Why not today? Why can’t today be a great day? It can if you believe it will.” ~ John Wooden
63. “Earn the right to be proud and confident.”
64. “Losing is only temporary and not all-encompassing. You must simply study it, learn from it, and try hard not to lose the same way again. Then you must have the self-control to forget about it.” – John Wooden
65. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – Coach John Wooden
66. Never blame others for your mistakes.
67. “You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes.”. John Wooden
68. “Whatever you’re doing, you must have patience.”
69. “You’ve heard the expression ‘Politeness and courtesy are a small price to pay for the goodwill of others.’ In fact, I’ve used it myself from time to time even though I don’t really agree with it. . You get more than you give when you are polite and courteous. You don’t pay. You are paid.” – John Wooden
70. “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” – Coach John Wooden
71. “The two qualities of Friendship so important for a leader to possess and instill in team members are respect and camaraderie.”
72. “A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.”
73. “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.”. John Wooden
74. You must be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way.
75. “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” ~ John Wooden
76. “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?”. John Wooden
77. Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of being. - John Wooden
78. “Earn the right to be proud and confident.” – John Wooden
79. “Young people need models, not critics.” ~ John Wooden
80. “There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.”
81. “The teams that compete at the highest level love the thrill of the contest. They may have winning in their heads, but they have a love for the effort and struggle in their hearts.”
82. “What a leader learns after you’ve learned it all counts most of all.”
83. “Make sure that team members know they are working with you, not for you.”
84. Make each day your masterpiece.”– John Wooden
85. Always remember that a big thing is made out of the accumulation of smaller things.
86. “It is the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
87. “We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.”
88. “Give me 100 percent. You can’t make up for a poor effort today by giving 110 percent tomorrow. You don’t have 110 percent. You only have 100 percent, and that’s what I want from you right now.”
89. “I do not want players who do not have a keen desire to win and do not play hard and aggressively to accomplish that objective.”
90. “A strong leader accepts blame and gives credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit.” – John Wooden
91. “Succeeding is performing at your best when your best is required”
92. “I don’t believe in fate.”
93. “Well. if you’re true to yourself you’re going to be true to everyone else.” – John Wooden
94. “If there’s anything you could point out where I was a little different, it was the fact that I never mentioned winning.”. John Wooden
95. Never be a weak leader by blaming others and pushing everyone around.
96. “Success is peace of mind in knowing you did your best.”
97. “You must be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way.”
98. “If your word is nothing, you’re not much better.” - John Wooden’s dad
99. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.” ~ John Wooden
100. “The important things to me are your faith, your family, and your friends. If you have that, you have everything.”
101. “Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”– John Wooden
102. “Never cease trying to be the best you can be. That’s in your power.”
103. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”. John Wooden
104. You can do more good by being good than any other way. – John Wooden
105. “Good players can take coaching; great players can take coaching and learn.”
106. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” -John Wooden
107. “Don’t beat yourself. That’s the worst kind of defeat you’ll ever suffer.”
108. “Tell the truth. That way you don’t have to remember a story.”
109. “It’s not how big you are, it’s how big you play”
110. Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” – John Wooden
111. “Friendship is two-sided. . That’s a nice person. There’s friendship when you do for each other. It’s like marriage – it’s two-sided.” – John Wooden
112. “If I were a young coach today, I would be extremely careful in selecting assistants.”
113. “Well, if you’re true to yourself you’re going to be true to everyone else.”
114. “You can do more good by being good than any other way.”. John Wooden
115. “Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be.” – John Wooden
116. Be a lifelong learner. Do not stop learning as it stops your growth.
117. “Winning was never mentioned by him. For Coach Wooden it was, “Fellas, we’ve got to play at our best. Let’s do that.” That’s a lot different from saying, “Fellas, we’ve got to win.” A lot different.” - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
118. “Friendship is two-sided. It isn’t a friend just because someone’s doing something nice for you. That’s a nice person. There’s friendship when you do for each other. It’s like marriage – it’s two-sided.”
119. “You can lose when you outscore somebody in a game. And you can win when you’re outscored.”
120. Always explain to your teammates their importance. Talk to them about how their contributions are important to the success and welfare of the whole organization.
121. “Each member of the team is there for a reason, a reason that in some way contributes to the team’s success. If not, why on Earth are they on your team in the first place?” - John Wooden
122. “Do your best every day. Live each day as if it’s your masterpiece.” – John Wooden
123. “You will find that success and attention to detail, the smallest details, usually go hand in hand.”
124. “Never try to be better than somebody else. But most importantly, never cease trying to be the best you can be.”
125. “Love is the most important thing in the world
126. “Happiness is in many things. . It’s in sharing. But most of all, it’s in being at peace with yourself knowing that you are making the effort, the full effort, to do what is right.” – John Wooden
127. “Condition your team to love the struggle.” – John Wooden
128. Let your competition worry about you being a strong contender and lose sleep over it.
129. “Organizations Succeed When They Become More Than the Sum of Their Players. That’s one of the real tests of any leader, making the whole more than the sum of its parts. No team will consistently succeed unless the leader is able to achieve this critical goal.”
130. “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.” – Coach John Wooden
131. “The greatest failure of all is the failure to act when action is needed”
132. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
133. “Before You Can Lead Others, You Must Be Able to Lead Yourself.”
134. “Personal greatness is not determined by the size of the job, but by the size of the effort one puts into the job. This applies to everyone on the team.”
135. “When you hurry you’re more apt to make mistakes. But you have to be quick. If you’re not quick, you can’t get things done.”
136. “IF YOU DON’T THINK OF YOUR TEAM AS A FAMILY, WHY SHOULD THE TEAM THINK OF YOU AS HEAD OF THE FAMILY?”
137. Remember to make your members understand the importance of sharing ideas, information, and more.
138. “Just try to be the best you can be; never cease trying to be the best you can be. That’s in your power”. – Coach John Wooden
139. “Never mistake activity for achievement.” ~ John Wooden
140. “Remember That a Great Quarter in Basketball or Business Starts with a Great Minute.”
141. “The best competition I have is against myself, to become better.”
142. Success is peace of mind which is an outcome of satisfaction that you find in yourself by knowing you made an effort to become the best of something you can.
143. I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession. John Wooden
144. “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.”
145. “Intensity makes you stronger. Emotionalism makes you weaker.” - John Wooden
146. “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you capable of becoming.” – John Wooden
147. “Coach John Wooden would not have asked, “Why is it so difficult to realize that others are more likely to listen to us if first we listen to them?”
148. “Decisions are more apt to be accepted when you’ve listened to suggestions first. I wanted them to see the reason behind what I asked of them, not to do things just because I said so.”
149. “Young people need models, not critics.”
150. “If you do enough small things right, big things can happen” ~ John Wooden
151. “It matters not the subject taught, nor all the books on all the shelves, What matters most, yes most of all, is what the teachers are themselves.” ~ John Wooden
152. “Make the best of what you’ve got; play the cards you are dealt. Walt Disney once said, “There is no education like adversity.” However, to gain this education you must be tough enough to overcome adversity rather than allowing adversity to overcome you.”
153. “As long as you try your best, you are never a failure. That is, unless you blame others.”
154. “It is important for us to see that our mentors are human and therefore fallible; it makes our own shortcomings more tenable.” ― John Wooden
155. “I don’t think I was a fine game coach. I’m trying to be honest. I think I was a good practice coach.” – John Wooden
156. “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” ―John Wooden
157. “Passion is momentary; love is enduring.”
158. Make the best of what you are given with now and play the cards you are dealt.
159. “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”. John Wooden
160. “Make a decision! Failure to act is often the biggest failure of all.”
161. “Make each day your masterpiece.” — John Wooden, American basketball player
162. “I do not judge success based on championships; rather, I judge it on how close we came to realizing our potential”
163. Remember to never steal, lie and cheat. These people do not make good leaders.
164. The first step to becoming a leader is to perceive the context for what it is and acknowledge your independence.
165. Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden
166. “The best competition I have is against myself to become better.”
167. “Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.”
168. “What it comes down to, I believe, is that mentoring often involves telling people what they need to hear, rather than what they want to hear. When you are able to be humbly honest with someone about a situation with which you have personal experience-even if you risk angering or hurting that person-you are offering the most valuable gift of all.” - John Wooden
169. “The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success.”
170. “There’s a quicker way to gain the information experience provides, namely, ask somebody who already has it.” - John Wooden
171. Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.
172. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – Coach John Wooden
173. “Never mistake activity for achievement.”
174. “All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.”
175. “It’s always about focusing not on the mistakes but on the lessons learned from them.”
176. “I seldom was ever off my seat on the bench during the game.”. John Wooden
177. “If we magnified blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would all be much happier.” —John Wooden
178. “A player who is working hard and productively for the group shouldn’t receive the same treatment as someone who is offering less. And while each and every person on your team fills a role and performs a function, some of those roles and functions are filled by people much harder to replace than others. It would be naïve to suggest that a superstar in your organization—a top producer—won’t receive some accommodations not afforded others. This is not a double standard but rather a fact of life. Those small accommodations, however, must not apply in areas of your basic principles and values or they will soon be replaced by the perception that favoritism and special treatment are the norm.”
179. If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. - John Wooden
180. “I don’t think I was a fine game coach. . I think I was a good practice coach.” – John Wooden
181. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do” – John Wooden
182. “Have utmost concern for what’s right rather than who’s right.”
183. “When it’s over, I want your head up. And there’s only one way your heads can be up - that’s to give it your best out there, everything you have.” - John Wooden
184. “Perfection is impossibility but striving for perfection is not. Do the best you can. That is what counts.”
185. “Teaching players during practices was what coaching was all about to me.” – John Wooden
186. “If you stay intent and your ability warrants it, you will eventually reach the top of the mountain.”. John Wooden
187. “If you stay intent and your ability warrants it, you will eventually reach the top of the mountain.”
188. “Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out.”- John Wooden
189. “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.” —John Wooden
190. “I don’t believe in praying to win.” – John Wooden
191. “It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.”. John Wooden
192. “A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit.” ~ John Wooden
193. “Why is that person in our organization if he or she is not contributing? What is the impact of a negligible producer on other team members? What can we do to enhance that person’s contribution? Do we move him to another “position,” restructure his current job, or make other fundamental changes that would amplify that person’s contributions? Should that person be removed from our team?”
194. “Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.”
195. “Friendship is two-sided. It isn’t a friend just because someone’s doing something nice for you. That’s a nice person. There’s friendship when you do for each other. It’s like marriage – it’s two-sided.” —John Wooden
196. “Players with fight never lose a game, they just run out of time.”. John Wooden
197. “there are no big things, only a logical accumulation of little things done at a very high standard of performance.”
198. “Whether in basketball or business, you must be able to perform all aspects of your job, not just part of it. You must be able to “get open” and “shoot.” One without the other makes you a partial performer, someone who can be replaced because your skills are incomplete.”
199. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.” - John Wooden.
200. Nancy on Your Story: You May Start Slow…
201. “Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.” - John Wooden
202. The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
203. “Good values are like a magnet, they attract good people.”
204. Building a team culture where the best ideas win – Ray Dalio radical transparency
205. “Set a realistic goal. Concentrate on its achievement by resisting all temptations and being determined and persistent.”
206. “When you see a successful individual, a champion, you can be very sure that you are looking at an individual who pays great attention to the perfection of minor details.”
207. “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.” – John Wooden
208. “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”
209. You will find that success and attention to details, the smallest details, usually go hand in hand.
210. “Success is never final, failure is never fatal, and it’s courage that counts.”
211. “A leader in sports, business, or any other field of endeavor should possess and provide the same qualities inherent in a good parent: character, consistency, dependability, accountability, knowledge, good judgment, selflessness, respect, courage, discipline, fairness, and structure.”
212. “Make each day your masterpiece.”
213. Do what is the absolute best for you and which you are skilled enough to do. But remember to set your standards higher because it will push you to become better.
214. “An effective leader allows exceptions to the rule for exceptional results or when circumstance demands.” - John Wooden
215. “I eventually became adept at wearing many different hats: teacher, of course, but also disciplinarian, demonstrator, counselor, role model, psychologist, motivator, timekeeper, quality control expert, talent judge, referee, organizer, and more.”
216. “It isn’t what you do, but how you do it.” – John Wooden
217. “Happiness begins where selfishness ends.”. John Wooden
218. “In the end, it’s about the teaching, and what I always loved about coaching was the practices. Not the games, not the tournaments, not the alumni stuff. But teaching the players during practice was what coaching was all about to me.”
219. “Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.” – John Wooden
220. “It begins by trying to make each day count and knowing you can never make up for a lost day. . If you have it within your power to work twice as hard, why aren’t you doing it now?” – John Wooden
221. “You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one.” – John Wooden
222. Respect and camaraderie are very important qualities for a good leader to possess.
223. "Do not let making a living prevent you from making a life” – John Wooden
224. “Make each day your masterpiece.” —John Wooden
225. “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” – John Wooden
226. “A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.”
227. “SEEK THOSE WITH A FIRE-IN-THE-BELLY ENTHUSIASM FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION”
228. “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” —John Wooden
229. “how I conveyed information was often as important as the information itself.”
230. “The best leaders are lifelong learners; they take measures to create organizations that foster and inspire learning throughout. The most effective leaders are those who realize it’s what you learn after you know it all that counts most.”
231. “Laziness is a euphemism for sloppiness.” - John Wooden
232. “I think that in any group activity – whether it be business, sports, or family – there has to be leadership or it won’t be successful.”
233. “Remember, results aren’t the criteria for success — it’s the effort made for achievement that is most important.”. John Wooden
234. “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over?”
235. “If I were ever prosecuted for my religion, I truly hope there would be enough evidence to convict me.”
236. “I had three rules for my players: No profanity. Don’t criticize a teammate. Never be late.” – John Wooden
237. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.” (John Wooden)
238. “Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.” ~ John Wooden
239. “Tell the truth
240. “Be prepared and be honest.”. John Wooden
241. “Make each day your masterpiece.” ―John Wooden
242. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”―John Wooden
243. “Success is the peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made an effort to become the best of which you are capable.” – John Wooden
244. "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden
245. “I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.”
246. “If you’re true to yourself, you’re going to be true to everyone else.” – John Wooden
247. “I am not as good as I ought to be. I am not as good as I want to be. I am not as good as I’m going to be. But I am thankful that I am better than I used to be.”
248. “DON’T MISTAKE ACTIVITY FOR ACHIEVEMENT”
249. “I’d rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.”. John Wooden
250. “My eyesight is not nearly as good. . My memory is slipping too. But I’m still around.” – John Wooden
251. “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
252. “…a player who is more concerned with his or her own statistics rather than those of the team is a player I welcome on the opponent’s side of the court. The presence of such an individual weakens the team and makes it vulnerable during competition to a disciplined group filled with Team Spirit.” - John Wooden
253. “If you are afraid to fail, you will never do the things you are capable of doing.”. John Wooden
254. The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.
255. “Young people need models, not critics.” – John Wooden
256. Always make individuals feel valued because that will be the reason why they would perform better than before.
257. "Do not let making a living prevent you from making a life.. — John Wooden
258. “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.”
259. “Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden
260. “Those of us who have been blessed with worldly success have an even greater responsibility to make an impact with our time, talents, and resources.”. John Wooden
261. “Next to love, balance is the most important thing.”
262. In a drastically dynamic world, a learner always keeps adapting and getting better.
263. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
264. “Never lie, never cheat, never steal.” – John Wooden
265. “…mental readiness: “Be ready and your chance may come. If you’re not read, it may not come again.” - Doug McIntosh
266. “Happiness begins when selfishness ends.”
267. “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” ― John Wooden
268. “Don’t give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you.” – John Wooden
269. “Work without joy is drudgery. Drudgery does not produce champions, nor does it produce great organizations.”
270. “Make no mistake: We all want to win the race.” - John Wooden
271. "Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” — John Wooden
272. “You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By becoming a little better each and every day, over a period of time, you will become a lot better.” – John Wooden
273. “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.” – John Wooden
274. “No one can really honestly be the very best, no one.”
275. “I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.”- John Wooden
276. “The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones.”
277. “The uphill climb is slow,but the downhill road is fast.”
278. “Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read.”. John Wooden
279. “The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.”
280. “The start of every team is the team.” - John Wooden
281. “Be quick without hurrying.”
282. “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” – John Wooden
283. You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one. - John Wooden
284. “Condition comes from hard work during practice and proper mental and moral conduct between practices.”
285. “In classic times, the courageous struggle for a noble cause was considered a success in itself. . But it is well worth remembering.” – John Wooden
286. “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.” – John Wooden
287. “Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility. However, striving for perfection is not an impossibility. Do the best you can under the conditions that exist. That is what counts.”
288. “And that, in my opinion, is the first goal of leadership—namely, getting the very best out of the people in your organization, whether they have talent to spare or are spare on talent.”
289. “Remember, results aren’t the criteria for success it’s the effort made for achievement that is most important.”
290. “Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.” – John Wooden
291. “I pushed harder and talked louder. Harder and louder were my teaching techniques. When that didn’t work, I started complaining to others about the players’ problems, lack of progress, and inability to learn what I was teaching.” - John Wooden
292. “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
293. “Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.” – Coach John Wooden
294. Organizational Culture Change Example – Alan Mulally Ford Turnaround Story
295. “Measure yourself by…what you have accomplished with your ability”
296. “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.” – John Wooden
297. If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. – John Wooden
298. “Having the courage to make decisions and take action. Never be afraid to fail. You have nothing to fear if you have prepared to the best of your ability.” ~ John Wooden
299. “Write down the tasks, initiatives, and actions that each member of your team needed do to perform at his or her peak level.” - John Wooden
300. “Strive to accomplish the very best you are capable of. Nothing less than your best effort will suffice.”
301. “Measure yourself by…what you have accomplished with your ability.”. John Wooden
302. “People want to believe you are sincerely interested in them as a person, not just what they can do for you.” – John Wooden Tweet: People want to believe you are sincerely interested in them as a person, not just what they can do for you. - John Wooden
303. “Make each day your masterpiece.” ~ John Wooden
304. “Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day.”
305. The most important thing in the world is family and love.” ― John Wooden
306. “It’s important to keep trying to do what you think is right no matter how hard it is or how often you fail. . I’m still trying.” – John Wooden
307. “It is important for us to see that our mentors are human and therefore fallible; it makes our own shortcomings more tenable.”
308. “Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read.”
309. “The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”. John Wooden
310. “Be at your best when your best is needed.”
311. A mistake is valuable if you do four things with it: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.
312. True leaders stand up for what is right and own up to their mistakes.
313. All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.” —John Wooden
314. “There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning.”
315. “Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and nobody truly knows that but you. But you are what matters most.”
316. “The heights by great men reached and kept, Were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.” –Henry Wadsworth Longfellow”
317. “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
318. “Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required each day.”
319. “Don’t be afraid to fail. The greatest failure of all is not to act when action is needed.”
320. “Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.”
321. “The leader has to command the respect of all those under his supervision – and he must be open to those under his supervision. Effective leadership means having a lot of people working toward a common goal. And when you have that with no one caring who gets the credit, you’re going to accomplish a lot. If you have those just wanting the credit for themselves, you’re not going to get as much accomplished.”
322. “Remember, results aren’t the criteria for success — it’s the effort made for achievement that is most important.”
323. “I seldom was ever off my seat on the bench during the game.”
324. “I’d be satisfied just coaching in high school. . I honestly believe that if I hadn’t enlisted in the service, I would never have left high school teaching. I’m sure I would have never left.” – John Wooden
325. “All we’ve worked so hard to accomplish on the court today can be torn down quickly, in a matter of minutes, if you make the wrong choices between now and our next practice.” - John Wooden
326. Bill Pence on Your Story: You May Start Slow…
327. “Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”- John Wooden
328. “The importance of repetition until automaticity cannot be overstated
329. “We can give without loving, but we can’t love without giving. In fact, love is nothing unless we give it to someone.”
330. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
331. “To win once you must have talent, but to win again you must have character.”
332. “Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.”. John Wooden
333. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. ”
334. “Be prepared and be honest.”
335. “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”. John Wooden
336. “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”
337. “Minor details—like pennies—add up. A good banker isn’t careless with pennies; a good leader isn’t sloppy about details.”
338. “Sometime you can do everything right and still lose. It’s all a journey. You do your best, and then you have to let it go. Lots of people preach that, but come crunch time—oops, not so easy to do.”
339. “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” -John Wooden
340. What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.
341. It’s not so important who starts the game but who finishes it. – John Wooden
342. “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.” – John Wooden
343. Always believe in yourself that you are tough enough to get over any adversity that comes your way instead of letting the adversity get to you.
344. “Never lie, never cheat, never steal.”
345. “The more concerned we become over the things we can’t control, the less we will do with the things we can control”
346. “I don’t believe in fate.”. John Wooden
347. “don’t worry about whether you’re better than somebody else, but never cease trying to be the best you can become. You have control over that; the other you don’t.”
348. “Seek opportunities to show you care. The smallest gestures often make the biggest difference.”
349. “Seek Players Who Will Make the Best Team Rather Than the Best Players.”
350. “Promise to wear a cheerful appearance at all times and give every person you meet a smile.”
351. “You can never make up for a lost day. Don’t think you can make up for it by working twice as hard tomorrow. If you have it within your power to work twice as hard, why aren’t you doing it now?”
352. “Everything we know, we learned from someone else!”
353. “Be true to yourself. . Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day.” – John Wooden
354. “What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.” – John Wooden
355. “Loyalty is very important when things get a little tough, as they often do when the challenge is great. Loyalty is a powerful force in producing one’s individual best and more so in producing a team’s best.”
356. Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. - John Wooden
357. “The important things to me are your faith, your family and your friends. If you have that, you have everything.”
358. “Don’t worry about whether you’re better than somebody else, but never cease trying to be the best you can become. You have control over that; the other you don’t.” - John Wooden’s dad
359. “Just try to be the best you can be; never cease trying to be the best you can be
360. “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden
361. “I had three rules for my players: no profanity, don’t criticize a teammate, never be late.”
362. “I prize intensity and fear emotionalism. Consistency in high performance and production is a trademark of effective and successful organizations and those who lead them. Emotionalism destroys consistency. A leader who is ruled by emotions, whose temperament is mercurial, produces a team whose trademark is the roller coaster—ups and downs in performance; unpredictability and un-dependability in effort and concentration; one day good, the next day bad.”
363. “If I am through learning, I am through.”. John Wooden
364. “You must have respect, which is a part of love, for those under your supervision. Then they will do what you ask and more.”
365. “It’s what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.” ― John Wooden
366. “It is important for us to see that our mentors are human and therefore fallible; it makes our own shortcomings more tenable.”. John Wooden
367. “When you hurry you’re more apt to make mistakes. . If you’re not quick you can’t get things done.” – John Wooden
368. “UCLA basketball coach John Wooden told players who scored to give a smile, wink, or nod to the player who gave them a good pass. “What if he’s not looking?” asked a team member. Wooden replied, “I guarantee he’ll look.” Everyone values encouragement and looks for it.”
369. “Acquire peace of mind by making the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”
370. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.”- John Wooden
371. “Happiness begins where selfishness ends.”
372. The best competition I have is against myself to become better.
373. “Don’t permit fear of failure to prevent effort. We are all imperfect and will fail on occasions, but fear of failure is the greatest failure of all.” ~ John Wooden
374. “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.”
375. “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”
376. “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”. John Wooden
377. Never stick to who is right but to what is right. This will turn you into a sincere leader.
378. “We can agree to disagree, but we don’t need to be disagreeable.”
379. “A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, that’s teamwork.”
380. “We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.” – John Wooden
381. “Confidence comes from being prepared.”
382. “Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden
383. “You’d like to see your team reasonably happy, but that’s not your job. Gain their respect and get them to accept their roles”
384. “I don’t believe in praying to win.”. John Wooden
385. “You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes”
386. “The time to prepare isn’t after you have been given the opportunity. It’s long before that opportunity arises. Once the opportunity arrives, it’s too late to prepare.”
387. “Drawing up plans such as these diagrams is the easy part. I did it thousands of times. Creating a successful organization with people who execute the plans at a level of Competitive Greatness—now, that’s the challenge of leadership.”
388. “Never try to be better than someone else. . Success is the by-product of that preparation.” – John Wooden
389. “Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.”. John Wooden
390. You can lose when you outscore somebody in a game. And you can win when you’re outscored.
391. “When you choose to become part of a team, you cease to exist as an individual.”
392. “Hustle makes up for many a mistake.”
393. You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
394. “A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player.” – John Wooden
395. “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” ~ John Wooden
396. “The telephone operator and all others who may perform less “important” tasks will not feel important unless you, the leader, teach that them they are valued and explain how their contribution helps the company as a whole. Individuals who feel they don’t matter will perform their jobs as if they don’t count.”
397. When you stop blaming others for your mistakes, you stop being a failure.
398. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.”. John Wooden
399. “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” –John Wooden
400. “Young people need models, not critics.”. John Wooden
401. “The two hardest things to handle in life are failure and success.”
402. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
403. “You can’t make good decisions that are going to be meaningful, productive when you lose control, and you have to maintain mental control, emotional control and to be able to perform physically up to your own particular level of competency, you have to keep your emotions under control.”
404. People want to believe you are sincerely interested in them as persons, not just for what they can do for you.
405. Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
406. “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.”
407. “Don’t permit fear of failure to prevent effort. We are all imperfect and will fail on occasions, but fear of failure is the greatest failure of all.” – John Wooden
408. “Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.”
409. “Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.” – John Wooden
410. “Condition Your Team to Love the Struggle.”
411. “You should never try to be better than someone else, you should always be learning from others. But you should never cease trying to be the best you could be because that’s under your control and the other isn’t.”
412. “Your reputation is what you’re perceived to be, your character is what you really are.” – John Wooden
413. “A mistake is valuable if you do four things with it: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it” ~ John Wooden
414. “The surest way not to win 94 games in a row )or even two games in a row) is to start thinking about it - to be looking up at the scoreboard and out into the future.” - John Wooden
415. “Flexibility is the key to stability.” - John Wooden
416. Always define success as making the complete effort to maximize your skills, potential, and ability in whatever circumstances may exist.
417. “Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece.” – John Wooden
418. “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
419. “Earn the right to be proud and confident.”. John Wooden
420. “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” – Coach John Wooden
421. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
422. “When You Start Having All the Right Answers, You Will Stop Asking All the Right Questions. The path to success lies in the realization that there is always more to learn.”
423. “Don’t be afraid to fail
424. “Don’t think that you can make up for it by working twice as hard tomorrow. If you have it within your power to work twice as hard, why aren’t you doing it now?”
425. “Make each day your masterpiece. Life is now. Life is not later on.”
426. “EXPLAIN TO EACH TEAM MEMBER PRECISELY HOW HIS OR HER CONTRIBUTIONS CONNECT TO THE WELFARE AND SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION”
427. “Seek opportunities to show you care. The smallest gestures often make the biggest difference.” ~ John Wooden
428. “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
429. “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” – John Wooden
430. “A leader truly dedicated to the team’s welfare doesn’t make himself irreplaceable.” - John Wooden
431. “Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day.”—John Wooden
432. “Apply what not to do as rigorously as what to do.” - John Wooden
433. When you treat everyone the same, it is very unfair and partial. Not everyone has earned the same level of respect.
434. Teach your whole team to appreciate and accept the struggle happily.
435. “We’re not all equal as far as intelligence is concerned. We’re not equal as far as size. We’re not all equal as far as appearance. We do not all have the same opportunities. We’re not born in the same environments, but we’re all absolutely equal in having the opportunity to make the most of what we have and not comparing or worrying about what others have.” ~ John Wooden
436. “If I am through learning, I am through.”
437. “Real happiness comes from the things that can not be taken away from you.”
438. The best leaders are the ones who know that it is what you learn after you know is all that counts most.
439. “If you’re not making mistakes then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
440. “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.” — John Wooden
441. You must remember that there are no big things. There is only a logical buildup of smaller things that are done at a high level of performance.
442. Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts. - John Wooden
443. ”Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.”
444. “We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.”. John Wooden
445. “Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.” – John Wooden
446. “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”. John Wooden
447. If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
448. “If you’re making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”- John Wooden
449. “Success travels in the company of very hard work. There is no trick, no easy way.”
450. “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”
451. “Success is never final. Failure is never fatal, and it’s courage that counts.”
452. Be a strong leader and learn to give credits to others and take the blame on yourself.
453. “The ego gets in the way of your eyes and ears.” - John Wooden
454. Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.
455. “Never make excuses. Your friends don’t need them, and your foes won’t believe them.”
456. “Discipline yourself and others won’t need to.”
457. “Constantly be aware and observing. Always seek to improve yourself and the team.”
458. “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.” – Coach John Wooden
459. “Passion is momentary; love is enduring.” – John Wooden
460. "Make each day your masterpiece.” —John Wooden"
461. “Big things are accomplished only through the perfection of minor details.”
462. “It takes time to create excellence. If it could be done quickly, more people would do it.”
463. “Give me 100 percent. You can’t make up for a poor effort today by giving 110 percent tomorrow. You don’t have 110 percent. You only have 100 percent, and that’s what I want from you right now.” ~ John Wooden
464. “The true athlete should have character, not be a character”
465. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” —John Wooden
466. “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” – Coach John Wooden
467. “I had three rules for my players: No profanity. . Never be late.” – John Wooden
468. “I worry that business leaders are more interested in material gain than they are in having the patience to build up a strong organization, and a strong organization starts with caring for their people.” – John Wooden
469. “There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.”
470. “Big things are accomplished only through the perfection of minor details.” – John Wooden Tweet: Big things are accomplished only through the perfection of minor details. – John Wooden
471. “The aim is not to make new friends but to do what is best for the team without carelessly damaging its members in the process.” - John Wooden
472. “Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility. . Do the best you can under the conditions that exist. That is what counts.” – John Wooden
473. “A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” – John Wooden
474. “Nothing will work unless you do.”. John Wooden
475. “The problem with new is you don’t have time for the old ones.”
476. “Some of my greatest pleasures have come from finding ways to overcome obstacles.”
477. “Although there is no progress without change, not all change is progress.”
478. Poor Leadership Behaviors & its Collateral Damage
479. “I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.” – John Wooden
480. “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.”
481. “I think that in any group activity—whether it be business, sports or family—there has to be leadership or it won’t be successful.”
482. “Talent is God-given. . Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” – John Wooden
483. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.”
484. “Doing the best you are capable of doing is victory in itself, and less than that is defeat.”
485. The most important thing in the world is family and love.” – John Wooden
486. “I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.”. John Wooden
487. “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”. John Wooden
488. “For the strength of the pack is the wolf; and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” —Rudyard Kipling”
489. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.” –John Wooden
490. It takes time to create excellence. If it could be done quickly, more people would do it.
491. “I’m no wizard, and I don’t like being thought of in that light at all
492. “Success is never final. failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.” – John Wooden
493. “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”
494. “A mentor must always guide, never push
495. “There is no education like adversity.” However, to gain this education you must be tough enough to overcome adversity rather than allowing adversity to overcome you.”
496. “I think permitting the game to become too physical takes away a little bit of the beauty.”. John Wooden
497. “We must be challenged to improve, and adversity is the challenger.”
498. “There’s as much crookedness as you want to find. There was something Abraham Lincoln said – he’d rather trust and be disappointed than distrust and be miserable all the time. Maybe I trusted too much.”
499. "Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” – John Wooden
500. “You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better.”
501. “Long-Term Success Requires Short-Term Focus.”
502. “It’s not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.”
503. “Never lie, never cheat, never steal.”. John Wooden
504. “I want a hustling, fighting team that never had time to crab or complain to anyone about anything.” - John Wooden
505. Losing is only temporary and not all encompassing. You must simply study it, learn from it, and try hard not to lose the same way again. Then you must have the self-control to forget about it. - John Wooden
506. “The coach is first of all a teacher.”
507. "Things work out the best for those who make the best of how things work out” – John Wooden
508. “My eyesight is not nearly as good. My hearing is probably going away. My memory is slipping too. But I’m still around.”
509. “Mentors are available at all stages of your leadership life – early, middle and late. Seek them out and listen; absorb their knowledge and use it.” — John Wooden
510. “If I were a young coach today, I would be extremely careful in selecting assistants.”. John Wooden
511. “Don’t mistake activity with achievement.”
512. “If you let your emotions take over you’ll be outplayed.” – John Wooden
513. “A mentor must always guide, never push. It was my job to listen to them, offer my perspective, and encourage them to pursue the ideals they believed to be true.”
514. “Most of all I attempted to demonstrate in my behavior - on and off the court - those qualities I hold so dear, the values within the Pyramid.” - John Wooden
515. “Without proper self-evaluation, failure is inevitable.” – John Wooden
516. “Promise yourself to make all your friends know there is something in them that is special and that you value.”
517. “Never life; never cheat; never steal. Don’t whine; don’t complain; don’t make excuses.” - John Wooden
518. “Ability is a poor man’s wealth.”. John Wooden
519. “…team members wouldn’t be treated the same or alike; rather, each one would receive the treatment they earned or deserved.” - John Wooden
520. “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”. John Wooden
521. “Be quick, but don’t hurry.”. John Wooden
522. “Never make excuses
523. “If I were a young coach today, I would be extremely careful in selecting assistants.” – John Wooden
524. “I am not as good as I ought to be. I am not as good as I want to be. I am not as good as I’m going to be. But I am thankful that I am better than I used to be.” – John Wooden
525. “I thought treating everyone the same was being fair and impartial. Gradually I began to suspect that it was neither fair nor impartial. In fact, it was just the opposite. That’s when I began announcing that team members wouldn’t be treated the same or alike; rather, each one would receive the treatment they earned and deserved.”
526. “When you hurry you’re more apt to make mistakes. But you have to be quick. If you’re not quick you can’t get things done.”
527. “Knowledge is not enough to get desired results. You must have the more elusive ability to teach and to motivate. This defines a leader; if you can’t teach and you can’t motivate, you can’t lead.” ~ John Wooden
528. Always stand up for your principles.
529. Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” —John Wooden
530. “It’s always about focusing not on the mistakes but on the lessons learned from them.”. John Wooden
531. “It’s important to keep trying to do what you think is right no matter how hard it is or how often you fail. You never stop trying. I’m still trying.”
532. Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.” – John Wooden
533. “The best competition I have is against myself to become better.” – John Wooden
534. “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” ~ John Wooden
535. “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” – John Wooden
536. “Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.” – John Wooden
537. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”. John Wooden
538. “The true leader isn’t really looking for leadership. He’s trying to set an example and be in the proper way to get the most productive results and don’t realize it. When the followers get something done, if the leader has been what he should, they’ll feel like they did it, not him. That’s the way it should be.”
539. We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.” – John Wooden
540. “The best competition I have is against myself to become better.” – Coach John Wooden
541. “Don’t permit fear of failure to prevent effort. We are all imperfect and will fail on occasions, but fear of failure is the greatest failure of all.”
542. When you give your best with every effort you have, the result will never make you a loser. And when you do less than required, it is obvious that you will not be turning into a winner magically somehow.
543. “Do the best you can. No one can do more than that.” ―John Wooden
544. “Promise yourself you will talk health, happiness, and prosperity as often as possible. Promise to think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best in yourself and others. Promise to forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements in the future.” ~ John Wooden
545. “Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden
546. “How hard you work at correcting your faults reveals your character.”
547. “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
548. “Never make excuses. Your friends don’t need them and your foes won’t believe them.”
549. “I talked to the players and tried to make them aware of what was good and bad, but I didn’t try to run their lives.”. John Wooden
550. “Each member of your team has the potential for personal greatness; the leader’s job is to help them achieve it.” – John Wooden
551. “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.― John Wooden
552. “The time to prepare isn’t after you have been given the opportunity. It’s long before that opportunity arises. Once the opportunity arrives, it’s too late to prepare.” ~ John Wooden
553. “Ability is a poor man’s wealth.”
554. “Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal; never whine, never complain, never make excuses.”
555. Always try and become the best version of yourself instead of focusing on who is better than you.
556. "Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” — John Wooden
557. “Many athletes have tremendous God-given gifts, but they don’t focus on the development of those gifts. . It’s true in sports and it’s true everywhere in life. Hard work is the difference. Very hard work.” – John Wooden
558. “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – John Wooden
559. “We must be challenged to improve, and adversity is the challenger.” – John Wooden
560. “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” ~ John Wooden
561. “When opportunity knocks, it’s too late to prepare.”. John Wooden
562. “Teaching players during practices was what coaching was all about to me.”
563. “Go Out of Your Way to Praise Those “Quiet” Performers Who Make Things Happen.”
564. “Little things make the big things happen”
565. “Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, the habits you are developing now will be with you for the rest of your life.”
566. “Never cease trying to be the best you can be.”
567. “Promise to wear a cheerful appearance at all times and give every person you meet a smile.” ~ John Wooden
568. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
569. “The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition.” ~ John Wooden
570. A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.
571. “Alertness, the ability to be constantly observing, absorbing, and learning from what’s going on around you, is a critical component for the individual in charge, the leader who strives for continuous improvement. You must constantly be awake, alive, and alert in evaluating yourself as well as the strengths and weaknesses of your organization and your competitors.”
572. “There is nothing stronger than gentleness.”
573. “I am not as good as I ought to be. I am not as good as I want to be. I am not as good as I’m going to be. But I am thankful that I am better than I used to be.” ~ John Wooden
574. “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”
575. “So often we fail to acknowledge what we have because we’re so concerned about what we want
576. Don’t mistake activity with achievement.
577. “Respect every opponent, but fear none.”
578. “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of being” John Wooden
579. “The goal in life is just the same as in basketball: make the effort to do the best you are capable of doing”
580. “If there’s anything you could point out where I was a little different, it was the fact that I never mentioned winning.”
581. “Passion is momentary; love is enduring.”. John Wooden
582. “Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.”
583. Always remember that drudgery is not the right way to work.
584. “There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make makes you.”
585. “Listen if you want to be heard.”. John Wooden
586. “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team ” – John Wooden, American basketball coach
587. “I talked to the players and tried to make them aware of what was good and bad, but I didn’t try to run their lives.”