John Wooden Quotes

Drink deeply from good books.

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

Long-Term Success Requires Short-Term Focus.

To win once you must have talent, but to win again you must have character.

How many of us have conflicts with someone else- and how many of us pray for that person? We have individuals with whom we are competitive, or whom we dislike or have a quarrel with; but very few of us have true enemies in the martial sense. And yet if Lincoln could pray fervently- and contemporary reports indicate he did- for the people who were opposing him, how much more can we do for someone we just find a little irritating?

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail . . . Never mistake activity for achievement . .

You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.

Competitiveness must be focused exclusively on the process of what you are doing rather than the result of that effort (the so-called winning or losing).

James Russell Lowell wrote: It’s not what we give but what we share, For the gift without the giver is bare. Who gives of himself of his alms feeds three, Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me.

Make Every Day Your Masterpiece!

Those of us who have been blessed with worldly success have an even greater responsibility to make an impact with our time, talents, and resources;

Trusting is part of our higher nature. Doubting is a lower instinct. The latter is easy to do, the former more difficult — but so much more rewarding.

The best leaders are lifelong learners; they take measures to create organizations that foster and inspire learning throughout. The most effective leaders are those who realize it’s what you learn after you know it all that counts most.

Does worrying about it, complaining about it, change it? Nope, it just wastes your time. And if you complain about it to other people, you’re also wasting their time. Nothing is gained by wasting all of that time.

Seek Players Who Will Make the Best Team Rather Than the Best Players.