70+ John Wooden Quotes | Minimalist Quotes

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

Ability Accomplishment Measure Success
Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.
JOHN WOODEN

Argument Entrepreneur Life People Smart Surround
Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.
JOHN WOODEN

Fame God Humble Man Talent
Friendship is two-sided. It isn’t a friend just because someone’s doing something nice for you. That’s a nice person. There’s friendship when you do for each other. It’s like marriage – it’s two-sided.
JOHN WOODEN

Friendship Marriage Nice Person
Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.
JOHN WOODEN

Count Courage Failure Fatal Final Success
You can lose when you outscore somebody in a game. And you can win when you’re outscored.
JOHN WOODEN

Basketball Game Lose Win
Be prepared and be honest.
JOHN WOODEN

Honesty One Liner Preparation
Well, if you’re true to yourself you’re going to be true to everyone else.
JOHN WOODEN

Inspirational True Yourself
It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
JOHN WOODEN

Inspirational Minimalism Vital
I am not as good as I ought to be. I am not as good as I want to be. I am not as good as I’m going to be. But I am thankful that I am better than I used to be.
JOHN WOODEN

Goodness Thankful Want
I don’t believe in praying to win.
JOHN WOODEN

Basketball Believe Pray Win
The most important thing in the world is family and love.
JOHN WOODEN

Family Important Love World
I had three rules for my players: No profanity. Don’t criticize a teammate. Never be late.
JOHN WOODEN

Criticism Late Leadersship Player Rule
When you hurry you’re more apt to make mistakes. But you have to be quick. If you’re not quick you can’t get things done.
JOHN WOODEN

Done Hurry Mistake Philosophy Quick
Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.
JOHN WOODEN

Admire Adversity Himself Man
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

Capable Mind Peace Result Satisfaction Success
Never mistake activity for achievement.
JOHN WOODEN

Achievement Activity Mistake One Liner
I think you have to be what you are. Don’t try to be somebody else. You have to be yourself at all times.
JOHN WOODEN

Be Yourself Time Try
A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit.
JOHN WOODEN

Acceptance Basketball Blame Credit Leadership Weak
Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.
JOHN WOODEN

Capable Motivational Success
No one can really honestly be the very best, no one.
JOHN WOODEN

Honesty Perfection Reality
Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.
JOHN WOODEN

Basketball Defense Game Learning Play
Young people need models, not critics.
JOHN WOODEN

Criticism Model Need One Liner People Young
The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
JOHN WOODEN

Basketball Ingredient Team Team Work
All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.
JOHN WOODEN

Inspirational Life Peak Valley
Never make excuses. Your friends don’t need them and your foes won’t believe them.
JOHN WOODEN

Believe Excuse Friendship never
If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.
JOHN WOODEN

Doer Mistake Motivational Positive

John Wooden Quotes

Famous Basketball Player