According to Henry David Thoreau, a philosopher seeks to understand and solve the most serious problems of life, not only theoretically but practically. A true philosopher, Thoreau added, is so committed to wisdom that he seeks to live wisely and so lives a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity, and trust.

By this definition, John Wooden, my favorite coach and teacher, is every inch a great American philosopher. Here are just a few of his powerful insights:

On Perfection: "Perfection is an impossibility, but striving for perfection is not. Do the best you can. That is what counts."

On Management: "You'll get better cooperation and results if you're sincerely interested in people's families and interests, not in simply how they do their job."

On Learning: "Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow."

On Success: "You must be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way."

On Trust: "You will be hurt occasionally if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough."

On Joy: "Mix idealism with realism and add hard work. This will often bring much more than you could ever hope for."

On Winning: "If you prepare properly, you may be outscored but you will never lose. You always win when you make the full effort to do the best of which you're capable."

You can read more in Be Quick -- But Don't Hurry! with Andrew Hill and in Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court with Steve Jamison.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.