John Wooden's Quotes

Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day.

John Wooden

Friendship is two-sided. It isn't a friend just because someone's doing something nice for you. That's a nice person. There's friendship when you do for each other. It's like marriage - it's two-sided.

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 is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts.

John Wooden

Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.

John Wooden

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.

John Wooden

I worry that business leaders are more interested in material gain than they are in having the patience to build up a strong organization, and a strong organization starts with caring for their people.

John Wooden

Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.

John Wooden

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.

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

Passion is momentary; love is enduring.

John Wooden

I'm not afraid to die.

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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.

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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.

John Wooden

Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who'll argue with you.

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

Don't let making a living prevent you from making a life.

John Wooden

I'm glad I was a teacher.

John Wooden

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.

John Wooden

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.

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

If I am through learning, I am through.

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden