John Wooden

Never try to be better than anyone else, but never cease to be the best you can be. That’s achievement.

Joy makes the longest journey too short.

You must define success as making the complete effort to maximize your ability, skills, and potential in whatever circumstances — good or bad — may exist.

So often we fail to acknowledge what we have because we’re so concerned about what we want.

Commend, Don’t Criticize

I told players at UCLA that we, as a team, are like a powerful car. Maybe a Bill Walton or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Michael Jordan is the big engine, but if one wheel is flat, we’re going no place. And if we have brand new tires but the lug nuts are missing, the wheels come off. What good is the powerful engine now? It’s no good at all.

Abraham Lincoln. He once said that the best thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother.

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

The problem with new is you don't have time for the old ones.

Don’t think you can make up for it by working twice as hard tomorrow. If you have it within your power to work twice as hard, why aren’t you doing it now?

If you prepare properly, you may be outscored but you will never lose.

if you do the following three things, you will be successful in major college basketball. If you don’t do them, it will be most difficult.” He didn’t say it would be impossible — typical of John Wooden — but he said it would be difficult. I was scrambling for my pen when he said, “Those three things are fairly simple: Number one, make certain, Dale, you always have better players than anybody you play. Now, with that locked up, make sure you always get the better players to put the team above themselves. And number three — this is very important, Dale Brown,” he said, “don’t try to be some coaching genius, or give the guys too much information, or too much stuff; always practice simplicity with constant repetition.

Seven Things to Do.” It read as follows: 1. Be true to yourself. 2. Help others. 3. Make each day your masterpiece. 4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible. 5. Make friendship a fine art. 6. Build a shelter against a rainy day. 7. Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day.

If you stay intent and your ability warrants it, you will eventually reach the top of the mountain.

We will begin by learning how to tie our shoes.