Coach John Wooden

John Wooden is one of my favorite people of all time. Not just because he was a 10-time NCAA Championship Basketball Coach at UCLA, but because of the lessons he's taught, which were learned from his father. Coach Wooden is over 90 years old as I write this, and he is still actively teaching his 15-step "Pyramid of Success." In fact, many of his former players and NBA greats, are teaching his lessons today. Enjoy these wonderful pearls of wisdom. -- Pete Barkelew, publisher

"Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming." -- John Wooden

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

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." -- John Wooden

"Make each day your masterpiece. " -- John Wooden

"Don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do." -- John Wooden

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." -- John Wooden

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

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts." -- John Wooden

"Never mistake activity for achievement." -- John Wooden

"You have success within. It's up to you to bring it out." -- John Wooden

"Bad times can make you bitter or better." -- John Wooden

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.
John Wooden

"Ability is a poor man's wealth." -- John Wooden 

"Be quick, but don't hurry. By that I mean make a decision, take action; decide what you're going to do and so it." -- John Wooden

"Keep this word of caution in mind: Failure to act is often the biggest failure of all." -- John Wooden

"Discipline yourself, and others won't need to." -- John Wooden

"Earn the right to be proud and confident." -- John Wooden

"Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then." -- John Wooden

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

"Be prepared and be honest." -- John Wooden

"Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights." -- John Wooden

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability." -- 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
 
"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes." -- John Wooden

"It isn't what you do, but how you do it." -- John Wooden

"It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it." -- John Wooden

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

"The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team." -- John Wooden

"The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones." -- 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

"What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player." -- John Wooden

"Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character." -- John Wooden

"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one." -- John Wooden

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." -- John Wooden