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John Wooden Quotes about Basketball

All John Wooden Quotes Accomplishment Achievement Adversity Art Basketball quotes Being The Best Blame Caring Challenges Change Character Choices Coaches Coaching Criticism Defeat Determination Discipline Effort Energy Enthusiasm Failing Feelings Fighting Fun Giving Graduation Gratitude Hard Work Heart Helping Others Inspiration Inspirational Integrity Journey Joy Kindness Leadership Life Listening Losing Love Loyalty Lying Making Mistakes Mentoring Motivation Motivational Opportunity Passion Past Perfection Perseverance Planning Positive Positivity Preparation Progress Purpose Repetition Reputation Responsibility Risk Role Models Running Sacrifice Selfishness Sports Sportsmanship Success Talent Teaching Team Teamwork Today Understanding Winning Wisdom Worry Wrestling
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.

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
Inspirational, Success, Basketball
John Wooden, Jack Tobin, Bill Walton (2004). “They Call Me Coach”, McGraw Hill Professional

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

John Wooden
Basketball, Wise, Wisdom
John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.153, B&H Publishing Group

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

John Wooden
Basketball, Beautiful, God

A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.

John Wooden
Basketball, Sports, Teamwork

Remember this, the choices you make in life, make you.

John Wooden
Basketball, Choices, Coaching

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
Basketball, Nba, Concerned

Perfection is impossibility but striving for perfection is not. Do the best you can. That is what counts.

John Wooden
Basketball, Nba, Perfection

Young people need models, not critics.

John Wooden
Basketball, Youth Of Today, Nba
John Wooden, Jack Tobin, Bill Walton (2004). “They Call Me Coach”, McGraw Hill Professional

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

John Wooden
Basketball, Motivational Sports, Courage
John Wooden, Jack Tobin, Bill Walton (2004). “They Call Me Coach”, McGraw Hill Professional

Never mistake activity for achievement.

John Wooden
Inspirational, Basketball, Motivational Sports
John Wooden (1997). “Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court”, p.8, McGraw Hill Professional

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

John Wooden
Basketball, Gratitude, Disappointment
Andrew Hill, John Wooden (2002). “Be Quick - But Don't Hurry: Finding Success in the Teachings of a Lifetime”, p.117, Simon and Schuster

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

John Wooden
Inspirational, Basketball, Teacher

Knowledge is not enough to get desired results. You must have the more elusive ability to teach and to motivate. This defines a leader; if you can't teach and you can't motivate, you can't lead.

John Wooden
Basketball, Nba, Leader

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

John Wooden
Life, Positive, Basketball
"The Wizard's wisdom: 'Woodenisms'", www.espn.com. June 4, 2010.

Be quick without hurrying.

John Wooden
Basketball, Coaching, Basketball Coaching
Andrew Hill, John Wooden (2002). “Be Quick - But Don't Hurry: Finding Success in the Teachings of a Lifetime”, p.167, Simon and Schuster

The best competition I have is against myself to become better

John Wooden
Basketball, Nba, Competition
John Wooden, Jay Carty (2009). “Coach Wooden One-On-One”, p.65, Revell

Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.

John Wooden
Basketball, Motivational Sports, Character
"The Wizard's wisdom: 'Woodenisms'", www.espn.com. June 4, 2010.

Discipline yourself, and others won't need to.

John Wooden
Basketball, Ucla, Discipline
John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.52, B&H Publishing Group

It's important to keep trying to do what you think is right no matter how hard it is or how often you fail. Never stop trying

John Wooden
Basketball, Thinking, Nba
John Wooden (2011). “Wooden: A Legacy in Words and Images (EBOOK)”, p.15, McGraw-Hill Professional

It's not how big you are, it's how big you play.

John Wooden
Basketball, Play, Bigs
"How (and why) position-less lineups have taken over the NBA playoffs" by Ian McMahan, www.theguardian.com. May 1, 2018.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

John Wooden
Basketball, Running, Motivational Sports
John Wooden, Swen Nater (2006). “John Wooden's UCLA Offense”, p.93, Human Kinetics

Losing is only temporary and not 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.

John Wooden
Basketball, Self, Coaching

The team is the star, never an individual player.

John Wooden
Basketball, Stars, Team

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
Basketball, Strong, Optimistic

Doing the best you are capable of doing is victory in itself, and less than that is defeat.

John Wooden
Basketball, Victory, Defeat

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