John Wooden quotes – 21 timeless and memorable lessons from the legendary coach

John Wooden quotes – the coach with the highest winning percentage in the history of US college basketball and his wisdom through his quotes.

John Wooden was an American basketball player and head coach at the University of California UCLA, Los Angeles. He won ten NCAA national basketball championships in a 12-year period as head coach at UCLA, including a record seven in a row. No other team has won more than four in a row in Division 1 college men’s or women’s basketball. Within this period, his teams won an NCAA men’s basketball record 88 consecutive games.

Although he was the coach with the best winning percentage, John Wooden never talked to his players about winning! He always talked about hard work, character, integrity, and improving daily. John Wooden was 99 when he died.  He impressed his former players, admirers, and those who felt mentored by him with his humble enthusiasm and zeal for life.

Read more about John Wooden here 

John Wooden quotes 1-10

1. If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes. Wooden
2. A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.
3. The best competition I have is against myself to become better.
4. We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.
5. Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
6. 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.
7. If you are afraid to fail, you will never do the things you are capable of doing.
8. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
9. Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.
10. Nothing will work unless you do.

If you are enjoying reading these John Maxwell quotes, you will love the following quotes

21 Wayne Dyer quotes that are Life-changing

What is leadership Quotes that capture Essence of leadership

John Wooden lived his life based on his principles

He not only preached but practice what he preached.  He lived his life based on his principles.

One of my favorite John Wooden quotes – “All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.”

 

 

John Wooden quotes 11-21

11. The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.
12. Don’t mistake activity with achievement.
13. Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you capable of becoming.
14. If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
15. Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.
16. It takes time to create excellence. If it could be done quickly, more people would do it.
17. You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes.
18. Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.
19. 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.
20. You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
21. Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

.

Check out bonus John Wooden quotes below

If you are enjoying reading this article you will love the following articles

1. Organizational Culture Change Example – Alan Mulally Ford Turnaround Story

2. Poor Leadership Behaviors & its Collateral Damage

3. Building a team culture where the best ideas win – Ray Dalio radical transparency

More John Wooden Quotes

22. Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

23. Never make excuses. Your friends don’t need them and your foes won’t believe them.

24. You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.

25. It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.

26. You can lose when you outscore somebody in a game. And you can win when you’re outscored.

27. What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.

28. The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

29. Tell the truth. That way you don’t have to remember a story.

30. If we magnified blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would all be much happier.

Check out, even more, John Wooden quotes