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

The line is a pointed reminder that rushing or cutting corners is usually a false economy. It frames “doing it right” as the truly time-saving choice, because mistakes, defects, and misunderstandings tend to demand rework that costs more time (and often more money and trust) than careful execution would have. The rhetorical question also highlights personal responsibility: if you claim you cannot afford the time for quality now, you are implicitly committing yourself to find time later for repairs, apologies, or repetition. In leadership and coaching contexts often associated with Wooden, it reinforces habits of preparation, attention to fundamentals, and disciplined standards rather than short-term expedience.

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it again?
If you don’t have time to do it right the first time, when will you have time to do it over?
If you don’t have time to do it right, you must have time to do it twice.