Lessons of not giving up by Michael Jordan
The American basketball legend always remembers the failures that made him who he is as well as the success he is today.
Although only a basketball player, Michael Jordan's influence has reached global and covers the sports world in general.
In April 2019, ESPN and Netflix released a documentary about Michael Jordan titled "The Last Dance". The episodes revolved around his career with the Chicago Bulls, clearly showing every drop of "blood and tears" that was shed on his journey with his teammates to win 6 US Professional Basketball championships ( NBA).
Michael Jordan during the NBA Finals in Chicago on June 12, 1998. Photo: AP.
For years, Jordan has been hailed as the greatest basketball player of all time, but things could be completely different if the star didn't know how to accept defeat as part of his success.
Michael Jordan was born without a natural talent for basketball. But he really has something that separates a champion from the average player. Jordan always tries hard and never gives up once he has made up his mind.
Every time they fail, most people often feel frustrated and afraid to try again. This is common behavior but not for Michael Jordan. In high school, he was excluded from the school's basketball team because he was not tall enough and his ability was not good.
Usually, this would destroy any teenager's dream of becoming a professional basketball player. But Jordan wiped his tears and continued to practice. He does not let the coach decide his career future. Jordan understood from a very early age that failure does not define a person, but our value lies in the strength to pick ourselves up and try.
"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost 300 games. 26 times I've been given the decisive shot and screwed up. I've failed again and again in my life. And that's why I'm successful," Jordan once said.
Jordan's former head coach at the University of North Carolina once shared a story about how determined he was to be the best. He still remembers Jordan saying "I'll show you, no one works as hard as me". And Jordan kept his promise.
"If you're trying to achieve a certain goal, there are bound to be hurdles in the way. Me too, everyone has. But those obstacles shouldn't be allowed to stop you. If you Jump into a wall, don't turn your back and give up. Find a way to climb over it, get over it, or renovate it," Jordan said.
In 1993, everyone felt regret and confusion when Michael Jordan retired from basketball and switched to baseball. He and the Chicago Bulls just won their third NBA championship, so why did he suddenly change course?
Jordan wanted something different and wanted to test his limits again. He was already a great basketball player and becoming good at baseball was the challenge Jordan set for himself.
Initially, he had difficulty with hitting the ball but continued to practice hard and get better over time. His philosophy is very simple, if you want to get better, you have to practice, you have to commit to improving yourself.
"I can accept failure, everyone will fail at some point. But I can't accept not trying," he emphasized.
The documentary "The Last Dance" featured Michael Jordan celebrating his championship and a reporter asked him if he "would keep playing for another year?". Jordan replied: "This is a memorable moment, man. Take the moment and enjoy it. Let's live in this moment until October and we'll see what comes next."
The American basketball legend's message is clear: Live in the moment and allow yourself to celebrate your accomplishments. Don't dwell on the past or worry too much about the future. Set goals, but enjoy what you have right now. Don't worry about missing an opportunity when you haven't even seen it.
In 1995, the Chicago Bulls were knocked out of the NBA playoffs and this defeat broke Michael Jordan's heart. But instead of resting for a while after the season, he returned to the training ground the next day.
"Sometimes you fail but that doesn't mean you're not good enough. It just means next time you should try harder. There's always room to improve and there's always other ways to reach your goals. If I've tried my best and I'm still not good enough, at least I won't have to look back and see that I was scared," Jordan said.