John Wooden

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do

I'd be satisfied just coaching in high school. I turned down a number of colleges when I was teaching in South Bend, Indiana, before I went into the service. I honestly believe that if I hadn't enlisted in the service, I would never have left high school teaching. I'm sure I would have never left.

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.

If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

It's too late for preparation when opportunity strikes.

Make each day your masterpiece.

Failure isn't fatal, but failure to change might be.

Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

Without proper self-evaluation, failure is inevitable.

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

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

Don't whine, complain, or make excuses.

Make each day a masterpiece. Dont think your best days are out there somewhere. Why not today Why cant today be a great day It can if you believe it will.

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

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.

Never mistake activity for achievement.

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

I like to spend time in the past, with the things that have been important to me.

Well, your greatest joy definitely comes from doing something for another, especially when it was done with no thought of something in return.

If I am through learning, I am through.

Be quick, but don't hurry.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment

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

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

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

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

Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation.Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

You cant live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.

I think that in any group activity - whether it be business, sports, or family - there has to be leadership or it won't be successful.

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.

Life doesn't reward the naturally clever or strong but those who can learn to fight and work hard and never quit.

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

Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.

There'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.

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.

Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.

I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.

The most important thing in the world is family and love.

Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.

I'm not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. I'm going to say I'm opposed to war. But I'm also opposed to protests that deny other people their rights.

Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.

Champions are brilliant at the basics.

Be more concerned with what you can do for others than what others can do for you. You'll be surprised at the results.

Discipline yourself, and others won't need to.

Without proper self evaluation failure is inevitable.

Teaching players during practices was what coaching was all about to me.

Failure is never fatal. But failure to change can and might be.

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

It isn't what you do, but how you do it.

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

I seldom was ever off my seat on the bench during the game.

I met Tiger Woods when he was younger. He's amazing - obviously technically, but his mental approach, too. He's really something.

Good coaching is about leadership and instilling respect in your players. Dictators lead through fear good coaches do not.

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

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

Love is the most important thing in the world. Hate, we should remove from the dictionary.

When you fail to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.

It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.

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

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

I talked to the players and tried to make them aware of what was good and bad, but I didn't try to run their lives.

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

Being 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.

Flexibility is the key to stability.

Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books - especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day.

Never lie, never cheat, never steal.

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.

Although I wanted my players to work to win, I tried to convince them they had always won when they had done their best.

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

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

If pursuing material things becomes your only goal, you will fail in so many ways. Besides, in time all material things go away.

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

We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.

Teamwork is not a preference, it is a requirement.

The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones.

I don't think I was a fine game coach. I'm trying to be honest. I think I was a good practice coach.

In the end, it's about the teaching, and what I always loved about coaching was the practices. Not the games, not the tournaments, not the alumni stuff. But teaching the players during practice was what coaching was all about to me.

Young people need models, not critics.

Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Just try to be the best you can be; never cease trying to be the best you can be. That's in your power.

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

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

Losing is only temporary and not all 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.

I had three rules for my players: No profanity. Don't criticize a teammate. Never be late.

Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.

Well, if you're true to yourself you're going to be true to everyone else.

I'm glad I was a teacher.

Consideration for others brings many things.

Somebody asked me - you know, how come it took you so long to win a national championship? And I said, 'I'm a slow learner; but you notice when I learn something, I have it down pretty good.'

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.

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

Never make excuses. Your friends dont need them and your foes wont believe them.

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

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

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

I think you have to be what you are. Don't try to be somebody else. You have to be yourself at all times.

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

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