Top 400 John Wooden Quotes (2023 Update)
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251. “Since the most important responsibility of a coach in regard to the actual playing of the game is to teach his players properly and effectively to execute the various fundamentals of the game, he is first of all a teacher.”

— John Wooden

252. “The purpose of discipline is not to punish, but to correct.”

— John Wooden

253. “I don’t believe in looking back. If you make a decision that you think is the proper one at a time, then that’s the correct decision.”

— John Wooden

254. “A good banker isn’t careless with pennies; a good leader isn’t sloppy about details.”

— John Wooden

255. “Lead, don’t drive. And give credit. Don’t blame. If an officer on your team suggested something and it worked well, give them credit. If it doesn’t work well, you take the blame because you made the decision.”

— John Wooden

256. “For an athlete to function properly, he must be intent. There has to be a definite purpose and goal if you are to progress. If you are not intent about what you are doing, you aren’t able to resist the temptation to do something else that might be more fun at the moment.”

— John Wooden

257. “Sincerity may not help us make friends, but it will help us keep them.”

— John Wooden

258. “How hard you work at correcting your faults reveals your character.”

— John Wooden

259. “It isn’t about what you do, but how you do it.”

— John Wooden

260. “It is important for us to see that our mentors are human and therefore fallible; it makes our own shortcomings more tenable.”

— John Wooden

261. “The athlete who says that something can’t be done should never interrupt the one who’s doing it.”

— John Wooden

262. “Some of my greatest pleasures have come from finding ways to overcome obstacles.”

— John Wooden

263. “We can become great in the eyes of others, but we’ll never become successful when we compromise our character and show disloyalty toward friends or teammates. The reverse is also true: No individual or team will become great without loyalty.”

— John Wooden

264. “Be slow to correct and quick to commend.”

— John Wooden

265. “You can respect a person without necessarily liking that individual.”

— John Wooden

266. “I never met a person from whom I did not learn something.”

— John Wooden

267. “I constantly caution our teams: ‘Play your game, just play your game. Eventually, if you play your game, stick to your style, class will tell in the end.’ This does not mean that we will always outscore our opponent, but it does insure that we will not beat ourselves.”

— John Wooden

268. “It takes 10 hands to score a basket.”

— John Wooden

269. “Do your best every day. Live each day as if it’s your masterpiece.”

— John Wooden

270. “We’re all imperfect and we all have needs. The weak usually do not ask for help, so they stay weak. If we recognize that we are imperfect, we will ask for help and we will pray for the guidance necessary to bring positive results to whatever we are doing.”

— John Wooden

271. “Why do we dread adversity when we know that facing it is the only way to become stronger, smarter, better?”

— John Wooden

272. “Losing does not make you a failure; it is when you blame someone for losing when you become a failure.”

— John Wooden

273. “I’d rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.”

— John Wooden

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

— John Wooden

275. “You must have respect, which is a part of love, for those under your supervision. Then they will do what you ask and more.”

— John Wooden

276. “When you see a successful individual, a champion, you can be very sure that you are looking at an individual who pays great attention to the perfection of minor details.”

— John Wooden

277. “We are all equal in that we can all strive to become the best we are capable of becoming. We can always improve but we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others. We get in trouble when we start trying to measure up to someone else.”

— John Wooden

278. “Thou didst thy best, that is success.”

— John Wooden

279. “The true athlete should have character, not be a character.”

— John Wooden

280. “What a leader learns after you’ve learned it all counts most of all.”

— John Wooden

281. “Profound responsibilities come with teaching and coaching. You can do so much good–or harm. It’s why I believe that next to parenting, teaching and coaching are the two most important professions in the world.”

— John Wooden

282. “No one is an overachiever. How can you rise above your level of competency? Everyone is an underachiever to different degrees. The harder you work, the more luck you will have.”

— John Wooden

283. “We should never let ambition cause us to sacrifice our integrity or diminish our efforts in other areas. However, we need to remember that we never reach a serious goal unless we have the intention of doing so.”

— John Wooden

284. “Success is mine when I work my hardest to become my best, and I alone determine whether I do so.”

— John Wooden

285. “Remember, results aren’t the criteria for success – it’s the effort made for achievement that is most important.”

— John Wooden

286. “Conditioning is essential to success in basketball.”

— John Wooden

287. “You control the terms of the conflict. Make them play your game. Don’t try to play theirs.”

— John Wooden

288. “Never try to be better than someone else. Learn from others, and try to be the best you can be. Success is the by-product of that preparation.”

— John Wooden

289. “I think anyone’s success depends on working hard, Industriousness and Enthusiasm, enjoying what you are doing. You can’t work your best if you’re not enjoying what you are doing. No way you can force yourself to.”

— John Wooden

290. “As a leader, you must be filled with energy and eagerness, joy and love for what you do. If you lack enthusiasm for your job, you cannot perform to the best of your ability. Industriousness is unattainable without Enthusiasm.”

— John Wooden

291. “Well, if you’re true to yourself you’re going to be true to everyone else.”

— John Wooden

292. “A knowledge of and the ability to properly and quickly execute the fundamentals. Be prepared and cover every little detail.”

— John Wooden

293. “Cultivate the ability to make decisions and think alone. Do not be afraid of failure, but learn from it.”

— John Wooden

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

— John Wooden

295. “When you choose to become part of a team, you cease to exist as an individual.”

— John Wooden

296. “1. Be on time. 2. Never criticize a teammate. 3. Never use profanity.”

— John Wooden

297. “People want to believe you are sincerely interested in them as a person, not just what they can do for you.”

— John Wooden

298. “When you give total effort – everything you have – the score can never make you a loser. And when you do less, it can’t somehow magically turn you into a winner.”

— John Wooden

299. “Constantly be aware and observing. Always seek to improve yourself and the team.”

— John Wooden

300. “Place the team above yourself always.”

— John Wooden