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Michael Jordan is arguably one of the greatest sports figures of all time. His story is not only a test of victory but also proof of never giving up on your dreams.
Before single-handedly changing the entire trajectory of the American Basketball Association, Jordan rose to prominence as a member of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill men’s basketball team under coach Dean Smith. As a freshman, he won the NCAA national championship with the Tar Heels.
After three years in college, Jordan was drafted third overall in the league by the Chicago Bulls in 1984, and the rest, as they say, is history. The Charlotte native led the Bulls to six NBA championships before ultimately leaving the league after 15 seasons.
In addition to wowing the world with his prowess on the court, the star athlete also demonstrated his business acumen early in his career, signing a five-year, $2.5 million contract with Nike during his rookie year. Revolutionized the sneaker industry. The move was a game-changer, not only because it redefined the way brands approached celebrity endorsement deals, but also helped propel him to billionaire status in 2014.
Today, he is entitled to a 5% royalty on every pair of Jordan Brand shoes sold. The basketball legend also briefly became the only Black majority owner of a major sports franchise when he purchased a controlling investment in the Charlotte Hornets in 2010 for a whopping $275 million. He still owns part of it after selling a majority stake in 2023 for $3 billion.
Today, Jordan inspired a generation of basketball players, including some of the most famous players in the league, and continues to become an icon. Among other things, he provided words of wisdom to the culture along the way.
The following 23 quotes prove why Jordan will always be the GOAT. Go check it out.
1. “If you do the work, you will be rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.”
This is a reminder that if you put in the time, you will reap the benefits. Here, Jordan emphasizes the importance of not taking shortcuts to achieve success. Instead, he advises you to stay the course and work hard until you reach the top.
2. “Heart is the difference between good and great.”
If you are passionate about something, pursue it. Life is too short to settle for less. With this quote, the basketball legend gives us the key to standing out as you chase your dreams.
3. “Failure makes me work harder.”
There’s nothing worse than starting something and not finishing it. Every attempt can’t be a victory, so if you fail to achieve a big goal, that means you should take another path to achieve it.
4. “The key to success is failure.”
Jordan was cut from the basketball team in high school and told he wasn’t good enough – which is kind of puzzling if you think about it. The man considered the greatest man of all time, a sports icon and his favorite player retired from the sport he loved. Do whatever you want with it.
5. “I’m never afraid of failure.”
Having the courage to step out of faith and do something unknown can be scary, especially when you don’t know the outcome. This quote alone proves that Jordan was always in a league of his own because he wasn’t afraid to take risks no matter how things panned out.
6. “I know fear can be a hindrance to some people, but for me it’s an illusion. Failure always makes me try harder next time.”
Jordan used this line to express the meaning of “spirit above all else.” Our mindset can either lead us to harm or create the illusion that we can have it all – and for everyone reading this, it’s probably the latter.
7. “To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail.”
Any great success story comes through trials and tribulations. Most people who have achieved success in their respective careers have some failure stories. Jordan said to accept that winning is not always possible; only then do you possess the true essence of a championship.
8. “To be successful, you have to be selfish or you’ll never succeed. Once you reach the highest level, you have to be selfless. Stay accessible. Stay connected. Don’t isolate.”
As a society, we’re often taught that selfishness is a bad thing, and Jordan is here to remind us that’s not the case. Taking the time to dedicate yourself and your craft is necessary, but he reminds us that once you achieve those things, it’s necessary to go back and lift others up as you continue to climb. It’s not always about achieving your goals and staying alone once you reach them. Instead, get out there, do what you need to do, and then come back and lead others on their own path to success.
9.”If you quit once, it becomes a habit. “never give up!”
do not give up. Jordan didn’t always play his best every game, but that didn’t mean he threw in the towel. Instead, he kept going. He was never afraid of falling because there was always a chance to get back up.
10. “I never thought about the consequences of missing a big opportunity… When you think about consequences, you always think about negative outcomes.”
With this quote, Jordan points out that you shouldn’t even let your mind trick you into thinking the outcome will be bad. Live in the moment and focus on the present moment.
eleven. “Once I make a decision, I don’t think about it again.”
Overthinking never leads to anything great, and that’s Jordan’s example. Make decisions with determination rather than dwelling on “could haves”, “shoulds”, and “would haves”.
12. “Always turn a negative situation into a positive one.”
The journey to greatness isn’t always pretty. When things go wrong, it’s often just a way to move a person to the next level. Even great people have bad days, but what matters most is how you learn from them and the lessons you take away from them.
13. “Never say never, because limitations, like fears, are often just an illusion.”
Pay attention to what you say, change your mindset, and the rest will follow. Acting out of fear can prevent a person from living the life of their dreams. This quote from Jordan reminds us how powerful words can be. Don’t let your fears project unreal realities into your life.
14. “You have to have great expectations of yourself before you can do it.”
If you don’t believe you can do something, who will? When Jordan was demoted on the basketball court and told he had no talent, it was easy for him to never pick up a ball again and accept what others said about him. Instead, he continued to believe in himself—and look where that turned out.
fifteen. “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”
It’s cool to have the skills you need to get the job done, but where’s the fun if you’re doing it alone? Athletes, musicians, successful entrepreneurs, etc. Don’t score points in life by climbing the ladder of life alone. Behind every successful person is a team that motivates and develops them.
16. “I can accept failure, failure happens to everyone. But I can’t accept not trying.”
If you don’t even try, you’ve failed. period.
17.”“Everyone has talent, but ability requires hard work.”
Jordan also provided another lesson: Having gifts isn’t everything; talent is everything. You have to put in the work. Jordan didn’t get to where he is today just because he was a talented guy, he also worked hard.
18. “You might be the best high school player, but I’m the best player in the world.”
When you reach the level of a champion like Jordan, perspective is everything. Especially when you’re out there, you can be insensitive to seeing things as they really are. When faced with a foul-mouthed man during a high school game, Jordan reacted prophetically. Not only did he put an overconfident player in their place, but he also talked about his future success.
19. “Learning is a gift, even if pain is your teacher.”
At the peak of his career, Jordan lost one of his biggest fans to senseless violence: his father. He could have easily given up on the game after experiencing that level of grief, but he didn’t. Life can indeed be humbling, but as long as we are breathing, we have the opportunity to live and learn.
twenty. “There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team,’ but there’s an ‘I’ in ‘win.'”
What a great way to flip this sentence on its head, which clearly disparages selfish behavior. Jordan has always had a warrior spirit, and it is precisely because of this mentality that he always stands out.
twenty one. “I’ve never lost a game, I just ran out of time.”
People often mistake confidence for arrogance, but the reason Jordan didn’t reach where he is now is because he didn’t firmly believe that he was the greatest.
twenty two. “If it turns out my best isn’t good enough, at least I won’t look back and say I didn’t dare try.”
Everyone has those days when the camera doesn’t land, you don’t get any callbacks for job interviews, you name it. We all face disappointment at some point in our lives, but it’s even more devastating when you don’t try to give it your all.
twenty three. “I’ve missed over 9,000 field goals in my career. I’ve lost nearly 300 games. Twenty-six times, I was trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I I fail over and over again in my life. That’s why I succeed.”
This is the quote of all quotes; so many people refer to it. Jordan wasn’t a perfect basketball player, but he wasn’t afraid to admit his shortcomings because at the end of the day, for all the success he had throughout his career.