John Wooden Quotes

I wanted to be an independent woman, a woman who could pay for her bills, a woman who could run her own life - and I became that woman.

Scouting teaches a boy to take care of himself and stand on his own two feet.

I'm worth far too much money. I don't need anybody's money.

I really believe that everyone has a talent, ability, or skill that he can mine to support himself and to succeed in life.

The real "haves" are they who can acquire freedom, self-confidence, and even riches without depriving others of them.

If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.

It is only after you are able to stand on your own feet, or have the confidence that you can stand on your own feet, should you look at doing things such as marriage or setting up a family.

If I have a roof over my head and if I'm cashing checks and choking some necks I'm always happy.

Perhaps well-to-do women and unemployed ghetto teenagers have something in common. Neither group has been allowed to develop the self-confidence that comes from knowing you can support yourselves.

In my youth, poverty enriched me, but now I can afford wealth.

I'm someone who'd never base how happy I am on how much money I have, or how good a restaurant is because of how posh it is.

Haitians do not need development programs imposed on them by expatriates. Instead, they need help in developing as self-assured persons.

If you've been told all your life that you're good-looking, people just flock around you and you never really have to try or have to learn an interesting craft, skill or hobby - or even have depth.

There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means - either may do - the result is the same and it is for each man to decide for himself and to do that which happens to be easier.

Long-term, we must begin to build our internal strengths. It isn't just skills like computer technology. It's the old-fashioned basics of self-reliance, self-motivation, self-reinforcement, self-discipline, self-command.

Nature never said to me: Do not be poor; still less did she say: Be rich; her cry to me was always: Be independent.

I don't think you can really, truly be the partner you want to be until you know on an absolute level that you are a complete person on your own.

Someday, when I manage to finally figure out how to take care of myself, then I'll consider taking care of someone else.

To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity.

Whatever happens with my career, I'm going to prosper no matter what.

I grew up with just my mom. She and I were like best friends. She's a very independent woman and I admire that about her. In my life, I've tried to be like that. To be okay with being on my own and being independent.

I hope my books empower kids, and that they learn how to work out their problems themselves.

The big things I've had are things I bought myself.

I wasn't sheltered or spoiled. All the money I made, I made myself.

I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich by myself, and not by borrowing.