Being yourself; not acting. You therefore can function near your own level of competence. Satisfy you own expectations rather than those of others.
John WoodenThe coach must never forget that he is, first of all, a teacher. He must come (be present), see (diagnose), and conquer (correct). He must continuously be exploring for ways to improve himself in order that he may improve others and welcome every person and everything that maybe helpful to him.
John WoodenThe importance of repetition until automaticity cannot be overstated. Repetition is the key to learning.
John WoodenNo matter how you total success in the coaching profession it all comes down to a single factor - talent. There may be a hundred great coaches of whom you have never heard in basketball, football, or any sport who will probably never receive the acclaim they deserve simply because they have not been blessed with the talent. Although not every coach can win consistently with talent, no coach can win without it.
John WoodenI would not tolerate profanity from anyone, anytime. I'd blow the whistle, pull you from the court and put you on the bench and talk to you before I would put you back in.
John WoodenI believe we are most likely to succeed when ambition is focused on noble and worthy purposes and outcomes rather than on goals set out of selfishness.
John WoodenBeing 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.
John WoodenWhile you, the leader, can teach many things, character is not taught easily to adults who arrive at your desk lacking it. Be cautious about taking on reclamation projects regardless of the talent they may possess. Have the courage to make character count among the qualities you seek in others.
John WoodenWinning and losing aren't all they're cracked up to be, but the trip to the destination is.
John WoodenWhat 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 WoodenIf you stay intent and your ability warrants it, you will eventually reach the top of the mountain.
John WoodenNever try to be better than somebody else. But most importantly, never cease trying to be the best you can be.
John WoodenPromise 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 WoodenClimb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you. Focus all your effort on what is in your power to control.
John WoodenWhen 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.
John WoodenWe can plan a roadtrip or a workday down to the last detail but the unexpected will always arise. If we are not malleable, we will get left behind.
John WoodenThere'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.
John WoodenAlthough I wanted my players to work to win, I tried to convince them they had always won when they had done their best.
John WoodenIf there's anything you could point out where I was a little different, it was the fact that I never mentioned winning.
John WoodenThe 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.
John WoodenIn life, worthwhile accomplishments and acquisitions take time. Usually the better the reward, the more time it takes to acquire it.
John WoodenPromise to think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best from yourself and others.
John WoodenDoing the best you are capable of doing is victory in itself, and less than that is defeat.
John WoodenBefore success comes patience... when we add to our accomplishments the element of hard work over a long period of time, we'll place a far greater value on the outcome. When we are patient, we'll have a greater appreciation of our success.
John WoodenYou must have respect, which is a part of love, for those under your supervision. Then they will do what you ask and more.
John WoodenMany ... have tremendous God-given gifts, but they don't focus on the development of those gifts. Who are these individuals? You've never heard of them- and you never will .
John WoodenI would spend almost as much time planning a practice as conducting it. Everything was planned out each day
John WoodenEach of us must make the effort to contribute to the best of our ability according to our individual talents. And then we put all the individual talents together for the highest good of the group. Understanding that the good of the group comes first is fundamental to being a highly productive member of a team.
John WoodenSuccess is a personal matter - only you as an individual can tell if you did everything within your power to give your best effort
John Wooden