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John Wooden identified patterns in Growth that most people miss. This collection reveals those insights, each quote preserved with full attribution and context. Use it to sharpen your thinking, spot leverage points, and avoid common mistakes. When Growth gets complicated, return here for the mental clarity John Wooden would bring to the situation.
"You must have a passion for learning."
"Strength of character is what you are; reputation is what people think you are. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation."
Book: Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and off the Court
"I always told my players that the best way to improve the team was to improve themselves physically and mentally."
"Fitness is the foundation upon which you build your skills."
"Worry about your character, not your reputation. Your character is what you are; your reputation is what others think you are."
"Passion is the difference between being good and being great."
"Without enthusiasm, you cannot work up to your full potential."
"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."
"Ability is a poor man's wealth."
"Success is a journey, not a destination."
"The star of the team is the team."
"You cannot be confident if you are worried about what others think of you."
"Listen to those under your supervision. If you don't, you'll soon have no one to listen to."
"Character is not something you are born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you weren't born with and must take responsibility for forming."
"Love is the most important word in our language."
"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be."
Book: Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court
"The best competition I have is against myself to become better."
"The best competition you have is with yourself. To improve daily requires immense inner strength."
"Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who'll argue with you."
"Fitness is a lifelong pursuit, not a seasonal goal."
"It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. The strength to remain a student is vital."
"Don't let the fear of making a mistake stop you. If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything."
"Your passion should be for the process of improvement."
Book: Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court
"What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player."
"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."
"I had a great passion for the game, but a greater passion for the players."
"Mental fitness is developed through constant study and observation."
"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."
Book: Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court
"When you are through learning, you are through."
"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."
"It is what you learn after you know it all that counts."
"I wanted to be a teacher. I loved the classroom."
"You have to be interested in what you're doing."
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are."
"You must have the patience to allow things to happen in their own time."
Seeing how John Wooden approaches Growth helps you apply the idea with more precision.
Pick one quote to guide a decision today, then return for deeper perspective.
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"Use this collection whenever you need John Wooden's lens on Growth."