16 Lessons from Michael Jordan
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Lessons from Michael Jordan
# 1 — Don’t shortcut the game.
If you put the effort into your game, good things will happen. But if you try to take shortcuts during the game, it will backfire. If you think that the game has been unfair, you will not feel motivated to give your best. Thinking like that means you have basically lost before you begin. There are no shortcuts, regardless whether in basketball, life or business. Do the work and you will be rewarded.
# 2 — You need to have the right technique.
If you get the basics right in your game, you are on the right path. You will start with the right foundation. But if you get your technique wrong — no matter how many hours you practice! — you will excel in shooting the wrong way.
# 3 — Turn your anger into motivation and keep on practising.
When Jordan got rejected in his high school basketball team, he felt embarrassed of not seeing his name on the list of selected players. He felt that a guy who got selected was not as good as him. So, he tried to turn his anger and embarrassment into motivation by practising and working harder than anyone else. He became aware of the fact that before he would get better at playing, he needs to get better at practicing. Michael Jordan was the one who arrived at the gym first and left it as the last.
# 4 — Don’t get intimidated by others.
Don’t think you have to do everything others want you to do. You don’t need to please everyone. Michael Jordan got a lot of attention soon after his first month in his NBA career. He was on the cover of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED with the title ‘A Star is Born’ which alienated some other NBA veterans. They decided to not pass him the ball during the All Star game. But Jordan didn’t allow them to affect him in any way. On the contrary, he kept on playing brilliantly and won even Rookie of the Year. Lesson to be learnt? Don’t get distracted or intimidated by others, keep your focus on yourself and give your best.
# 5 — Learn to deal with failure.
Michael Jordan failed many times in his life and he knew that every person in their lives at some stage fails at something. But he simply did not want to accept the fact of not trying at least. Your failures are your fuel, don’t use it as an excuse to surrender, to give up on what you want to achieve so badly.
# 6 — There is nothing such as fear.
Many people fail because they are full of fear. Don’t let your fear limit you in achieving your goals and become successful. Get rid of your fears, then you will feel more empowered to take advantage of the opportunities that are being given to you.
# 7 — Just do it.
According to Michael Jordan there are 3 types of people: those who want to make something happen, those who wish something would happen and those who simply make it happen. There is no doubt that Jordan belongs to those people who make it happen.
# 8 — You need a team to win championships.
If you have talent you will win games, but in order to win championships you need intelligence and teamwork. Michael Jordan got a lot of personal achievements, such as league MVP awards, scoring titles and Defensive Player of the year. He started winning championships only once he got help from Horace Grant, Phil Jackson and Scottie Pippen.
# 9 — If you are good you don’t need any marketing.
When the Bulls sold out every stadium that they played in, no matter where they played, it was not due to some marketing efforts but Jordan’s and his team’s brilliant performance. If you play consistently on an excellent level, people will love to watch you playing. Thus, no marketing will be required.
# 10 — Be convinced that the shot will go in.
Michael Jordan is known for making “the big shot”. When Jordan has the ball in his hands in the last second of a crucial game he makes it happen. He puts himself in a state of mind that does not allow him to think that the ball would not go in. He never thinks of the consequences that the ball would not go in because he knew that if that would be the case, all you can expect is a negative result. In those moments when it really matters, you need to be fully confident that you will achieve your goal and succeed.
# 11 — Have high expectations from your teammates.
If you want to get the best out of other team players, expect the best from them. How to achieve it? If you are able to lead by example you will surely find it easier to achieve your goal.
# 12 — Be in control even if your emotions take over.
Many people consider showing emotion as a clear sign of weakness but for Michael Jordan it was a source of strength. When he won his first NBA championship in 1991 and the following championship in 1996, Michael Jordan couldn’t hold his tears back and cried like a baby. However, he was able to be in complete control even if his emotions took over.
# 13 — Do it with love.
Not many know this but once Michael Jordan referred to basketball as his wife in order to express the love he feels when playing basketball. It requires your responsibility and loyalty and what you get back? Peace and fulfilment. He was convinced that if you love what you do, it will reflect in your performance.
# 14 — Turn your business into a game.
If you consider your business as boring, there is something that you do wrong. You need to make your work fun because the more passion and energy you put into it, the more successful you will become.
# 15 — Move on and leave your past behind.
Michael Jordan had to make some difficult decisions in his sportive career. He never dwelled on them. He never saw any point in worrying about things that happened in the past because those would never come back again.
# 16 — Keep your focus for the moment.
Never think already in advance who is going to win the championship, because what will happen is that you will lose your concentration and focus in the process. It happened many times in basketball in the past. A great team gets overconfident and loses the game in the last minutes. The mistake they make is that they are so focused on the victory celebration instead of thinking of the current game.
