With the passing of the legendary John Wooden, 99, this is the last in a series featuring his extraordinary life and legacy.

One of John Wooden’s favorite pastimes was reading and reciting both poetry and scripture. He was a wizard of the written word, with a memory that was second to none – and one that stayed with him up to the end. 

Those who knew him would marvel at his amazing ability to reference specific past events with incredible detail, or provide a particular passage that always seemed to relate perfectly to the subject matter at hand.  

Wooden’s words of wisdom will undoubtedly stand the test of time – and in many ways, are classic life lessons from perhaps one of the greatest teachers of all time. While all are not his own originals, they are timeless expressions he loved to share.

Here are some of my favorites:

Learn as if you were to live forever; live as if you were to die tomorrow. (Ghandi)

Don’t give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you.

Be quick, but don’t hurry.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.

It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.

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.

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

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

Do your best without comparing yourself to others.

You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

Flexibility is the key to stability.

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings and the feelings of others before your own rights.

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.

The main ingredient in stardom is the rest of the team.

What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.

You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.

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

Never mistake activity for achievement.

It isn’t what you do, but how you do it.

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

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

And from Wooden’s father, Joshua Hugh Wooden, who played such a significant part in his life, here are a few of John’s favorites passed on from the previous generation:

Don’t look back, don’t whine, and don’t complain.

Be true to yourself; Help others;
Make each day your masterpiece; Make friendship a fine art;
Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible;
Build a shelter against a rainy day;
Give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day.

John Wooden’s enduring legacy as a role model is one we should all strive to emulate. He knew what was important in life and tried his best to make a positive difference every day.

When asked his secret to long life, Wooden simply replied, “Not being afraid of death and having peace within yourself. All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.”

Finally, when asked what he would like God to say when he arrived at the pearly gates, Wooden replied, “Well done!”

Well done indeed -- a life well lived and a man well loved.

Kelly Ferrin, gerontologist/longevity expert and author of “What’s Age Got To Do With It? Secrets to Aging in Extraordinary Ways” has been studying aging and retirement issues for over 25 years. She was one of the first to ever receive a degree in this field from the prestigious Andrus School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, the top school in the nation for age-related studies.

website: kellyferrin.com ••• email: ageangel@earthlink.net