A Tribute To A Great Man: The Best Quotes From Legendary Coach, John Wooden

by John Hawkins | June 4, 2010 10:02 am

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden is gravely ill. In fact, he was in such bad shape last night that there were reports that the 99 year old had passed away. As a tribute to Wooden, here are some of his greatest quotes.

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.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

You can do more good by being good than any other way.

Discipline yourself and others won’t need to.

You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

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

Ability is a poor man’s wealth.

Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

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

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.

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.

Never mistake activity for achievement.

Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.

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

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

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

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.

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.

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

Confidence comes from being prepared.

If I were ever prosecuted for my religion, I truly hope there would be enough evidence to convict.

Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.

If a player’s not doing the things he should, put him on the bench. He’ll come around.

Young people need models, not critics.

It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.

The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

Never make excuses. Your friends don’t need them and your foes won’t believe them.

Being average means you are as close to the bottom as you are to the top.

The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.

Tell the truth. That way you don’t have to remember a story.

Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read.

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

When my son was in high school, he wanted a car. I said, “You work hard in the summer and save up for half, and I’ll pay the other half.” So he saved up, and I came home one day and Nellie was distraught. Jim had given his money to a friend. I said to Jim, “Do you think you’ll get it back?” He said, “Dad, what did you always teach me? He’s my friend. Haven’t I heard you say your greatest joy is doing something for someone with no thought of something in return?” Hearing your own words come back at you can make you smile. Later that year, his friend paid him back.

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.

I’ll never adjust to the loss of Nellie. We were married for fifty-three years. No man ever had a finer wife. Prior to her loss, I had some fear of death. Now I have no fear. I look forward to seeing her again.

Hat tip to Self Help Quotes[1], where most of these quotes came from.

Endnotes:
  1. Self Help Quotes: http://selfhelpquotes.net

Source URL: https://rightwingnews.com/quotes/the-best-quotes-from-john-wooden/