Remembering John Wooden
This post is a bit different from what you will normally find on this blog. It is simply a tribute to a man who recently passed away, and whose impact on this world was magnificent. I truly believe we all can learn a lot from John Wooden.
John Wooden was the men’s basketball coach at the University of California Los Angeles, from 1948 until 1975. During his tenure there, Wooden led the team to ten national championships in twelve years, an unbelievable feat which will never be matched. He coached some of basketball’s greatest all-time players, including Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Wooden was unquestionably one of the best coaches the world has ever seen, in any sport.
Wooden was born in 1910. He died last Friday, at the age of 99. Known for his wisdom and kindness, Wooden left his mark not only on the game of basketball, but on millions of people around the world. Wooden will forever be known for his brief maxims, a byproduct of his midwestern upbringing. Among them, “Never mistake activity for achievement,” “It isn’t what you do, but how you do it,” and “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” Part of his coaching philosophy was to teach his kids valuable life lessons. In an interview after Wooden’s death, both Walton and Abul-Jabbar said that Coach’s teachings transformed their careers and their lives.
I had the chance to meet John Wooden nearly three years ago when he came to speak to my Sports Business class at the University of Southern California (crosstown rival of Wooden’s UCLA). Rivalry was the last thing on anyone’s mind that night. At 96, he was physically frail, but his mind was as sharp as could be. The room was absolutely packed (this particular night was one of the few where family members of students were allowed to attend class), and for two hours, we sat and watched him speak. Just to be in his presence was surreal. After class, I shook his hand and let him know what an honor it was to meet him. It was a moment that lasted less than a minute, but one I will remember forever. The man was a legend. It’s not often you get to meet someone like John Wooden.
While he is no longer with us, through his maxims and other lessons, we can all still learn something from John Wooden. His maxims are simple, but quite powerful. Here are some of my favorites.
On Success
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.
On Failure
Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
Inspiration & Motivation
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
On Work Ethic
If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
For more on John Wooden, here is his Wikipedia entry. I highly recommend reading more about Wooden and reading through a list of his quotes.
Did you know about John Wooden before reading this post? If so, what did he mean to you? Would love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation below.
Author: Sam Taggart
