One of my constant reminders was, "End practice on a happy note." I wanted the boys to want to come out to practice, and I wanted them to get a certain amount of pleasure out of basketball. It's a game. It should be fun. So I always tried to counterbalance any criticism in practice with a bit of praise. I wanted my players to feel that the worst punishment I could give them was to deny them the privilege of practicing. If they did not want to practice, I did not want them there.

John Wooden

Categorized in : Boys Sports Fun

A mistake is valuable if you do four things with it: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it

John Wooden

four mistake forget

If you do enough small things right, big things can happen

John Wooden

bigs enough happens

The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition.

John Wooden

imitation eight law

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

basketball success inspirational

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

John Wooden

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

John Wooden

basketball god beautiful

Champions never complain, they are too busy getting better

John Wooden

champion get-better complaining

Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who'll argue with you.

John Wooden

basketball wisdom wise

When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. When you improve conditioning a little each day, eventually you have a big improvement in conditioning. Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don't look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That's the only way it happens - and when it happens, it lasts.

John Wooden

one-day-at-a-time next-day change

A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit.

John Wooden

strong leader giving

My bench never heard me mention winning. My whole emphasis was for each one of my players to try to learn to execute the fundamentals to the best of their ability. Not to try to be better than somebody else, but to learn from others, and never cease trying to be the best they could be; that's what I emphasized more than anything else.

John Wooden

player winning trying

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

John Wooden

motivational integrity inspirational

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

John Wooden

motivational inspirational life

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.

John Wooden

success motivational inspirational

A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group - that's teamwork.

John Wooden

groups player teamwork

The time to prepare isn't after you have been given the opportunity. It's long before that opportunity arises. Once the opportunity arrives, it's too late to prepare.

John Wooden

opportunity too-late long

Never mistake activity for achievement.

John Wooden

motivational-sports basketball inspirational

Young people need models, not critics.

John Wooden

youth-of-today nba basketball

Knowledge is not enough to get desired results. You must have the more elusive ability to teach and to motivate. This defines a leader; if you can't teach and you can't motivate, you can't lead.

John Wooden

nba basketball leader

When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur.

John Wooden

bigs each-day littles