100 John Wooden Quotes (On Success, Coaching, Teamwork)

Top 10 Quotes – Life – Society – Happiness – Visual – Takeaways – Further Readings

This is John Wooden.

and here are 100 of his best quotes.

Mr Wooden is considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.

You’ll learn:

• Why the process is more important than the results
• How to be a better team player
• The importance of humility
• And more

But who was John Wooden (1910-2010) exactly?

• He was a legendary basketball coach
• He led UCLA to 10 national championships
• He had 4 undefeated seasons and a 0.808 winning percentage
• He was also considered a life coach/mentor

So, I hope you’re ready.

John Wooden has amazing insights for you.

About life, “winning”, sports, and more.

Let’s begin!

Top 10 John Wooden Quotes

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

If you do enough small things right, big things can happen. John Wooden

A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life. John Wooden

Great leaders are always out front with a banner, instead of behind with a whip. John Wooden

It’s not how big you are, it’s how big you play. John Wooden

Champions never complain, they are too busy getting better. John Wooden

There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning. John Wooden

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over? John Wooden

Never lie; never cheat; never steal. Don’t whine; don’t complain; don’t make excuses. John Wooden

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. John Wooden

Short John Wooden Quotes

Confidence comes from being prepared. John Wooden

Be prepared and be honest. John Wooden

Make each day your masterpiece. John Wooden

You can always do more than you think you can. John Wooden

Champions are brilliant at the basics. John Wooden

I am just a common man who is true to his beliefs. John Wooden

Success is peace of mind in knowing you did your best. John Wooden

Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today. John Wooden

Never be late. John Wooden

Never criticize a teammate. John Wooden

Just do the best you can. No one can do more than that. John Wooden

Happiness begins where selfishness ends. John Wooden

Be quick, but don’t hurry. John Wooden

John Wooden Quotes About Success, Discipline

Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone. John Wooden

Never mistake activity for achievement. John Wooden

Adaptability is being able to adjust to any situation at any given time. John Wooden

The shining trophies on our shelves can never win tomorrow’s game. John Wooden

All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low. John Wooden

Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required each day. John Wooden

It takes time to create excellence. If it could be done quickly, more people would do it. John Wooden

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. John Wooden

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

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

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

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

Success travels in the company of very hard work. There is no trick, no easy way. John Wooden

Do not become too concerned about what others may think of you. Be very concerned about what you think of yourself. John Wooden

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

Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory. John Wooden

Practice self-discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgment and common sense are essential. John Wooden

Never try to be better than somebody else. But most importantly, never cease trying to be the best you can be. John Wooden

Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. John Wooden

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

If you lose self-control everything will fall. John Wooden

You can lose when you outscore somebody in a game, and you can win when you’re outscored. John Wooden

Big things are accomplished only through the perfection of minor details. John Wooden

Discipline yourself and others won’t need to. John Wooden

John Wooden Quotes About Coaching, Leadership

Young people need models, not critics. John Wooden

It isn’t what you do, but how you do it. John Wooden

Listen if you want to be heard. John Wooden

Over-coaching can be more harmful than under-coaching. Keep it simple! John Wooden

The difference between a successful coach and a great coach is the ability to inspire and empower their players. John Wooden

One of the greatest motivating things that a coach has is the bench. They all love to play, all of them. You sit them on the bench, and they come around pretty good. John Wooden

The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. John Wooden

Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. John Wooden

There is no more powerful leadership tool than your own personal example. John Wooden

A coach must never forget that he is a leader and not merely a person with authority. John Wooden

The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition. John Wooden

You haven’t taught until they’ve learned. John Wooden

Fairness is giving all people the treatment they earn and deserve. It doesn’t mean treating everyone alike. John Wooden

A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit. John Wooden

Leadership is the ability to get individuals to work together for the common good and the best possible results while at the same time letting them know they did it themselves. John Wooden

Respect a man, and he will do all the more. John Wooden

John Wooden Quotes About Adversity, Character

Earn the right to be proud and confident. John Wooden

Adversity often produces an unexpected opportunity. Look for it! Appreciate and utilize it! This is difficult to do if you’re feeling sorry for yourself because you’re faced with adversity. John Wooden

Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character. John Wooden

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. John Wooden

Stay the course. When thwarted try again; harder; smarter. Persevere relentlessly. John Wooden

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

Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there. John Wooden

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

Confidence must be monitored so that it does not spoil or rot and turn to arrogance. John Wooden

Your reputation is what you’re perceived to be. Your character is what you really are. John Wooden

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

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

The more concerned we become over the things we can’t control, the less we will do with the things we can control. John Wooden

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

The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching. John Wooden

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

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be. John Wooden

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. John Wooden

John Wooden Quotes About Teamwork

Seek opportunities to show you care. The smallest gestures often make the biggest difference. John Wooden

There is nothing stronger than gentleness. John Wooden

We can agree to disagree, but we don’t need to be disagreeable. John Wooden

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

You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes. John Wooden

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

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. John Wooden

You can’t live a perfect day until you do something for someone who will never be able to repay you. John Wooden

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

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

Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you. John Wooden

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. John Wooden

Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read. John Wooden

Be observing constantly. Stay open-minded. Be eager to learn and improve. John Wooden

You are no better than anyone else and no one is better than you. John Wooden

Respect every opponent, but fear none. John Wooden

Visual For John Wooden

Good things take time, as they should. We shouldn’t expect good things to happen overnight. Actually, getting something too easily or too soon can cheapen the outcome. John Wooden

Never be in a hurry, because all that is beautiful and great takes time. Osho

All great achievements require time. Maya Angelou

Key Takeaways

Here are five ways to apply John Wooden’s ideas in your life:

• Process > Results.John Wooden believed that true success comes from dedicating ourselves fully to the process and paying attention to the details, rather than focusing solely on winning.
• Have self-discipline. John Wooden believed that small, consistent efforts lead to big achievements. To him, self-discipline builds habits that help us grow and stay resilient.
• Be a team player. John Wooden believed that being a team player means putting the team’s success above individual achievements.
• Stay humble. John Wooden thought staying humble allows you to learn, improve, and stay focused on what truly matters, rather than seeking attention or praise.
• Make each day your masterpiece. John Wooden believed we should give our best effort every day, making each day a masterpiece. By focusing on doing your best in everything, you create a life you can be proud of.

Video With John Wooden

Further Readings

• Topic: Motivation
• How To Be Successful In Life
• 100 Goals Quotes To Help You Reach The Next Level
• 120 Never Give Up Quotes To Help You Try Again (And Again)
• 81 Motivational Quotes For Students To Study Hard
• 100 Cal Newport Quotes (On Social Media, Deep Work, Solitude)
• John Wooden on Wikipedia
• Official Site of Coach Wooden
• The difference between winning and succeeding | John Wooden | TED (17-minute video)

I hope you enjoyed these inspiring quotes by John Wooden.

If you did, please share them with a friend today!

 

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