Wooden Summary – John Wooden and Steve Jamison

Blog > Book Summaries > Thoughts & Emotions

Wooden Summary

TYPE: Non-fiction (philosophy), practical. SYNTHESIS: An effort-and-integrity focussed personal philosophy – spanning family, achievement, success and excellence – by UCLA’s famous philosopher-coach, John Wooden, and author, Steve Jamison. IN A NUTSHELL: “Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” NOTES: Wooden’s Wooden is a collection of 215 thoughts (each a few sentences to as many pages in length), split across 4 parts:

• Part 1: Families, Values, Virtues (53 thoughts)
• Part 2: Success, Achievement, Competition (74 thoughts)
• Part 3: Coaching, Teaching, Leading (66 thoughts)
• Part 4: Putting It All Together: My Pyramid Of Success (22 thoughts)

There’s a lot of timeless wisdom here, though little that would surprise you and nothing you can’t or won’t have read elsewhere. Honesty, ego, stoicism, authenticity, continuous learning, presence, areté and a focus on process over outcome are among Wooden’s favourite themes.  Success and happiness, he reminds us, are neither rare nor magical. They are the result of hard, patient and persistent work on ourselves, for the benefit of others. If you’re looking for quick, tactical tricks to make practice more purposeful, Wooden’s observations (at least in this book) may leave you frustrated. But if you’re looking for a compass to guide you through life’s challenges and temptations; If you could use an All-American Aurelius to elevate and inspire you;  Then Wooden would be a valuable addition to any bookshelf.

Wooden: Top Highlights

“It took me a long time to understand that even a stubborn mule responds to gentleness.” “Don’t whine. Don’t complain. Don’t make excuses.” “Never believe that you’re better than anybody else, but remember that you’re just as good as everybody else.” “I agree with Abraham Lincoln. He once said that the best thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother.” “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Character is what you really are. Reputation is what people say you are.” “Try your hardest in all ways and you are a success. Period. Do less than that and you have failed to one degree or another.” “Do not become too concerned about what others may think of you. Be very concerned about what you think of yourself.” “Understand there is to price to be paid for achieving anything of significance. You must be willing to pay the price.”

Wish There Was a Faster/Easier Way?

Whenever you’re ready, here are four ways I can help you be more productive, find more balance and live life more on purpose…

1. Curious? Discover how productive you really are… Take this free, 2-minute assessment to unlock your PQ and discover the top 25 habits you need to get big things done. Take the 2-minute quiz →
2. Overwhelmed? Get a free chapter of my book… Let me show you how to beat procrastination, permanently, with this free sneak peek inside TAoL’s ultimate productivity primer. Download your free chapter →
3. Stuck? Grab a 90-Day TRACKTION Planner… Get the tool thousands trust to help them take control of their time, master their habits and hit goals in every part of their lives. Order your 90-day planner →
4. Burned out? Join the TRACKTION Community… Take the 6-week masterclass, get weekly group coaching, find accountability partners and connect with like-minded self-starters. Get started FREE →