John Wooden Quotes

Don't give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you.

If we fail to adapt, we fail to move forward.

Do not get so concerned with making a living that you forget to make a life.

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.

You never fail if you know in your heart that you did the best of which you are capable.

While I made my living as a coach, I have lived my life to be a mentor-and to be mentored!-constantly.Everything in the world has been passed down. Every piece of knowledge is something that has been shared by someone else. If you understand it as I do, mentoring becomes your true legacy. It is the greatest inheritance you can give to others. It is why you get up every day-to teach and be taught.

When the legs go, the heart soon follows

I don't believe in fate.

I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.

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.

When you choose to become part of a team, you cease to exist as an individual.

Wisdom subdues bigotry.

I believe one of the requirements of good leadership is the ability to listen - really listen - to those in your organization. An effective leader is very good at listening, and it's difficult to listen when you are talking.

As a leader, you must be filled with energy and eagerness, joy and love for what you do. If you lack enthusiasm for your job, you cannot perform to the best of your ability. Industriousness is unattainable without Enthusiasm.

Losing is only temporary and not 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.

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player.

Don't get discouraged: it is often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock. Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

The score will take care of itself when you take care of the effort that precedes the score.

Make your "yes" mean yes, and your "no" mean no.

We will begin by learning how to tie our shoes.

It's always about focusing not on the mistakes but on the lessons learned from them.

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?

Do passing drills that come from your offense.

Be more interested in character than reputation

The greatest failure of all is the failure to act when action is needed

Place the team above yourself always.

If a player's not doing the things he should, put him on the bench. He'll come around.

If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.

Be prepared and be honest.

Build shelter against a rainy day.

Ability may get you to the top, nut it takes chracter to keep you there - mental, moral, and physical.

I always talked to my players about today. It's the only day that matters.

People ask me if I'd permit fancy things, like dunks. Well, if they did dunk, it was with no fancy flair. No behind-the-back dribbles or passes unless necessary. If it was for show, you were on the bench.

Nobody is defeated until he starts blaming somebody else. My advice to you is don't fix the blame. Fix the problem.

You can respect a person without necessarily liking that individual.

Make no mistake, I always want to win, but I never fight with an opponent. My fight is within me it is the struggle to be the best I can be at whatever I do.

Understand there is a price to be paid for achieving anything of significance. You must be willing to pay the price.

Push yourself to keep improving or you'll stay as close to the bottom as you are to the top

The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success.

The best way to improve your team is to improve yourself.

It is normal to enjoy praise and dislike criticism. True character is when you prevent either from affecting you in a negative matter.

One of my constant reminders was, "End practice on a happy note." I wanted the boys to want to come out to practice, and I wanted them to get a certain amount of pleasure out of basketball. It's a game. It should be fun. So I always tried to counterbalance any criticism in practice with a bit of praise. I wanted my players to feel that the worst punishment I could give them was to deny them the privilege of practicing. If they did not want to practice, I did not want them there.

Some of my greatest pleasures have come from finding ways to overcome obstacles.

Make each day your masterpiece. Life is now. Life is not later on.

Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.

Don't look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at time. That's the only way it happens-and when it happens, it lasts.

Success is mine when I work my hardest to become my best, and I alone determine whether I do so.