John Wooden (1910-2010) was an iconic American basketball coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest in the sport’s history. Born in Indiana, Wooden played college basketball at Purdue before transitioning to coaching. His most significant contributions came as the head coach of the UCLA Bruins from 1948 to 1975, where he achieved unparalleled success, winning ten NCAA national championships, including an unprecedented seven consecutive titles from 1967 to 1973. Wooden’s coaching philosophy centered on teamwork, discipline, and character development, as outlined in his “Pyramid of Success.” Beyond basketball, he became a respected motivational speaker and author. Wooden’s legacy extends beyond his remarkable coaching record, influencing generations of athletes and leaders with his principles of leadership and integrity. He passed away in 2010, leaving an enduring impact on the sport and the lives he touched.
John Wooden Quotes
1. “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”
— John Wooden
2. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
— John Wooden
3. “Make every day your masterpiece. ”
— John Wooden
4. “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over?”
— John Wooden
5. “Success is peace of mind in knowing you did your best.”
— John Wooden
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.”
— John Wooden
7. “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.”
— John Wooden
8. “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
9. “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
10. “Be quick, but don’t hurry.”
— John Wooden
11. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
— John Wooden
12. “Things turn out best for those who make best of how things turn out.”
— John Wooden
13. “Discipline yourself and others won’t need to.”
— John Wooden
14. “Champions never complain, they are too busy getting better.”
— John Wooden
15. “Confidence comes from being prepared.”
— John Wooden
16. “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”
— John Wooden
17. “If you lose self-control everything will fall.”
— John Wooden
18. “You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes.”
— John Wooden
19. “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
— John Wooden
20. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. ”
— John Wooden
21. “Success travels in the company of very hard work. There is no trick, no easy way.”
— John Wooden
22. “You can always do more than you think you can.”
— John Wooden
23. “Champions are brilliant at the basics.”
— John Wooden
24. “Be true to yourself. Make each day your masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.”
— John Wooden
25. “It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.”
— John Wooden
26. “Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.”
— John Wooden
27. “Flexibility is the key to stability.”
— John Wooden
28. “Don’t mistake activity with achievement.”
— John Wooden
29. “Never make excuses. Your friends don’t need them and your foes won’t believe them.”
— John Wooden
30. “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”
— John Wooden
31. “Make each day your masterpiece. Life is now. Life is not later on.”
— John Wooden
32. “Listen if you want to be heard.”
— John Wooden
33. “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
— John Wooden
34. “You are no better than anyone else and no one is better than you.”
— John Wooden
35. “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
36. “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
37. “Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating.”
— John Wooden
38. “Happiness begins where selfishness ends.”
— John Wooden
39. “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
— John Wooden
40. “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.”
— John Wooden
41. “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”
— John Wooden
42. “You can’t live a perfect day until you do something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
— John Wooden
43. “Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read.”
— John Wooden
44. “The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”
— John Wooden
45. “The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition.”
— John Wooden
46. “Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.”
— John Wooden
47. “Being average means you are as close to the bottom as you are to the top.”
— John Wooden
48. “Seek opportunities to show you care. The smallest gestures often make the biggest difference.”
— John Wooden
49. “Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player.”
— John Wooden
50. “There is nothing stronger than gentleness.”
— John Wooden
51. “If we fail to adapt, we fail to move forward.”
— John Wooden
52. “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.”
— John Wooden
53. “Stay the course. When thwarted try again; harder; smarter. Persevere relentlessly.”
— John Wooden
54. “Without proper self-evaluation, failure is inevitable.”
— John Wooden
55. “Be observing constantly. Stay open-minded. Be eager to learn and improve.”
— John Wooden
56. “Young people need models, not critics.”
— John Wooden
57. “Never lie; never cheat; never steal. Don’t whine; don’t complain; don’t make excuses.”
— John Wooden
58. “Kindness makes for much better teamwork.”
— John Wooden
59. “If we magnified blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would all be much happier.”
— John Wooden
60. “Apply yourself everyday to just becoming a little bit better.”
— John Wooden
61. “Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required each day.”
— John Wooden
62. “Tell the truth. That way you don’t have to remember a story.”
— John Wooden
63. “It takes time to create excellence. If it could be done quickly, more people would do it.”
— John Wooden
64. “All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.”
— John Wooden
65. “If you stay intent and your ability warrants it, you will eventually reach the top of the mountain.”
— John Wooden
66. “Don’t whine, complain, or make excuses.”
— John Wooden
67. “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
68. “Adaptability is being able to adjust to any situation at any given time.”
— John Wooden
69. “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
— John Wooden
70. “Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.”
— John Wooden
71. “Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.”
— John Wooden
72. “Fairness is giving all people the treatment they earn and deserve. It doesn’t mean treating everyone alike.”
— John Wooden
73. “There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning.”
— John Wooden
74. “You haven’t taught until they’ve learned.”
— John Wooden
75. “Great leaders are always out front with a banner, instead of behind with a whip.”
— John Wooden
76. “If you do enough small things right, big things can happen.”
— John Wooden
77. “Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.”
— John Wooden
78. “Never try to be better than somebody else. But most importantly, never cease trying to be the best you can be.”
— John Wooden
79. “Respect a man, and he will do all the more.”
— John Wooden
80. “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
81. “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
82. “Respect every opponent, but fear none.”
— John Wooden
83. “A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit.”
— John Wooden
84. “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
85. “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
86. “There are no big things, only a logical accumulation of little things done at a very high standard of performance.”
— John Wooden
87. “Practice self-discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgment and common sense are essential.”
— John Wooden
88. “If you get too engrossed and involved and concerned in regard to things over which you have no control, it will adversely affect the things over which you have control.”
— John Wooden
89. “It’s not how big you are, it’s how big you play.”
— John Wooden
90. “Never lie, never cheat, never steal.”
— John Wooden
91. “Big things are accomplished only through the perfection of minor details.”
— John Wooden
92. “There is no more powerful leadership tool than your own personal example.”
— John Wooden
93. “The team that makes the most mistakes usually wins, because doers make mistakes.”
— John Wooden
94. “Having the courage to make decisions and take action. Never be afraid to fail. You have nothing to fear if you have prepared to the best of your ability.”
— John Wooden
95. “The importance of repetition until automaticity cannot be overstated. Repetition is the key to learning.”
— John Wooden
96. “Your reputation is what you’re perceived to be, Your character is what you really are.”
— John Wooden
97. “Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings everyday.”
— John Wooden
98. “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
99. “Just do the best you can. No one can do more than that.”
— John Wooden
100. “It’s too late for preparation when opportunity strikes.”
— John Wooden
101. “We can agree to disagree, but we don’t need to be disagreeable.”
— John Wooden
102. “There is no great fun, satisfaction, or joy derived from doing something that’s easy.”
— John Wooden
103. “The best way to improve your team is to improve yourself.”
— John Wooden
104. “When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur.”
— John Wooden
105. “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.”
— John Wooden
106. “We will begin by learning how to tie our shoes.”
— John Wooden
107. “When opportunity comes it is too late to prepare.”
— John Wooden
108. “Teamwork is not a preference, it is a requirement.”
— John Wooden
109. “Details create success.”
— John Wooden
110. “It’s not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.”
— John Wooden
111. “Don’t give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you.”
— John Wooden
112. “Players with fight never lose a game, they just run out of time.”
— John Wooden
113. “Ability is a poor man’s wealth.”
— John Wooden
114. “Make sure that team members know they are working with you, not for you.”
— John Wooden
115. “Discipline of others isn’t punishment. You discipline to help, to improve, to correct, to prevent, not to punish, humiliate, or retaliate.”
— John Wooden
116. “Good coaching is about leadership and instilling respect in your players. Dictators lead through fear – good coaches do not.”
— John Wooden
117. “Strive to accomplish the very best you are capable of. Nothing less than your best effort will suffice.”
— John Wooden
118. “First be the best and then be first.”
— John Wooden
119. “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
120. “You will never outperform your inner circle.”
— John Wooden
121. “Why can’t we have patience and expect good things to take time?”
— John Wooden
122. “The best competition I have is against myself to become better.”
— John Wooden
123. “A mistake is valuable if you do four things with it: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.”
— John Wooden
124. “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.”
— John Wooden
125. “There is no substitute for hard work. If you’re looking for the easy way, if you’re looking for the trick, you might get by for a while, but you will not be developing the talents that lie within you. There is simply no substitute for work.”
— John Wooden
126. “Cooperation – To get cooperation, you must give cooperation. Always seek to find the best way rather than insisting on your own way.”
— John Wooden
127. “You can’t do anything about yesterday, and the only way to improve tomorrow is by what you do right now.”
— John Wooden
128. “Understand there is a price to be paid for achieving anything of significance. You must be willing to pay the price.”
— John Wooden
129. “The score will take care of itself when you take care of the effort that precedes the score.”
— John Wooden
130. “The time to prepare isn’t after you have been given the opportunity. It’s long before that opportunity arises. Once the opportunity arrives, it’s too late to prepare.”
— John Wooden
131. “Loyalty is a cohesive force that forges individuals into a team.”
— John Wooden
132. “Helping others is perhaps the greatest joy! You cannot have a perfect day without helping others with no thought of getting something in return.”
— John Wooden
133. “Although there is no progress without change, not all change is progress.”
— John Wooden
134. “Rest when you need to, but never quit.”
— John Wooden
135. “I’m not afraid to die.”
— John Wooden
136. “The purpose is to help, to prevent, to correct, to improve, rather than to punish. Criticism is not meant to punish, but rather to correct something that is preventing better results. The only goal is improvement.”
— John Wooden
137. “As long as you try your best, you are never a failure. That is, unless you blame others.”
— John Wooden
138. “A life not lived for others is not a life, a game not played for others is not a game.”
— John Wooden
139. “Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you. Focus all your effort on what is in your power to control.”
— John Wooden
140. “Good values are like a magnet – they attract good people.”
— John Wooden
141. “Promise to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit trouble to press on you.”
— John Wooden
142. “Remember this your lifetime through: Tomorrow there will be more to do. And failure waits for all who stay With some success made yesterday. Tomorrow you must try once more, And even harder than before.”
— John Wooden
143. “Remember this, the choices you make in life, make you.”
— John Wooden
144. “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.”
— John Wooden
145. “Perfection is impossibility but striving for perfection is not. Do the best you can. That is what counts.”
— John Wooden
146. “The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.”
— John Wooden
147. “Cervantes said the journey’s better than the end. Practices, to me, were the journey.”
— John Wooden
148. “Hardship brings people closer together if you share it.”
— John Wooden
149. “What you do in practice is going to determine your level of success. I used to tell my players, ‘You have to give 100 percent every day. Whatever you don’t give, you can’t make up for tomorrow. If you give only 75 percent today, you can’t give 125 percent tomorrow to make up for it.’”
— John Wooden
150. “Make a decision! Failure to act is often the biggest failure of all.”
— John Wooden
