John Wooden Quotes

You will never outperform your inner circle.

Winning breeds winning.

Never allow anyone else to define your success.

Don't beat yourself. That's the worst kind of defeat you'll ever suffer.

My philosophy of defense is to keep the pressure on an opponent until you get to his emotions

Rest when you need to, but never quit.

The life lessons taught by John Wooden have become legend. Here's a collection of some of the greatest 'Woodenisms.'

There are no big things, only a logical accumulation of little things done at a very high standard of performance.

He who truly seeks God has found Him.

Most people think of poise as calm, self-assured dignity; but I call it “just being you”.

The courageous struggle for a noble cause should be considered success itself.

Never be thrown off stride in how you behave or what you believe in because of outside events.

Confidence - Poise and confidence are not possible unless you have prepared correctly. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Poise and confidence are a natural result of proper preparation.

Details create success.

As a leader, you will receive a large amount of praise and criticism and you should not unduly affected by either.

When we aren't alert, we miss opportunities to improve ourselves. We should always watch for circumstances or situations that can help or harm us and be eager to learn from these encounters.

Effective leaders are, first and foremost, good teachers. We're in the education business.

I'm not afraid to die.

Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.

I think permitting the game to become too physical takes away a little bit of the beauty.

I was built up from my dad more than anyone else.

Working with others makes us much more than we could ever become alone

Once you become a good person, then you have a chance of becoming a good basketball player.

Teamwork is not a preference, it is a requirement.

The purpose of discipline is not to punish, but to correct.

I really believe that happiness comes from things that cannot taken away from you.

Forget favors given; remember those received.

Losing does not make you a failure; it is when you blame someone for losing when you become a failure

It is important for us to see that our mentors are human and therefore fallible; it makes our own shortcomings more tenable.

When it's over and you look in the mirror, did you do the best you were capable of? If yes, you will probably be ok with the outcome

Bad times can make you bitter or better.

You never want to confuse activity with accomplishment.

Joy makes the longest journey too short.

Your reputation is what you're perceived to be, Your character is what you really are

You can’t do anything about yesterday, and the only way to improve tomorrow is by what you do right now.

Cooperation - To get cooperation, you must give cooperation. Always seek to find the best way rather than insisting on your own way.

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

The problem with new is you don't have time for the old ones.

When you give total effort - everything you have - the score can never make you a loser. And when you do less, it can't somehow magically turn you into a winner.

No one can really honestly be the very best, no one.

Why can't we have patience and expect good things to take time?

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

Passion is temporary. It doesn't last long. Love is enduring. And that's the important thing. If we all had love in our lives to the degree that we should, it would be much happier.

It is impossible to attain proper physical condition without being sound both mentally and morally.

Cultivate the ability to make decisions and think alone. Do not be afraid of failure, but learn from it.

Winning games, titles and championships isn't all it's cracked up to be, but getting there, the journey, is a lot more than it's cracked up to be.

Intensity makes you stronger. Emotionalism makes you weaker.

I am not a strategic coach; I am a practice coach.

Be true to yourself. Be true to those you lead.

When I am through learning, I am through.