In recent years, we’ve all seen Steph Curry change the way the game is played with his stellar 3 point shooting and guard play. Michael Jordan however, changed the game on an even larger scale than what we’re seeing now with Steph. Not only did Jordan change the game on the court, but he also grew the game immensely as far as its popularity and perception on the world stage. He is the reason why players today are getting paid as much as they are and why basketball has become a global game. It wasn’t just Jordan’s impact on the game that made him special, but it was his mindset that separated him from the majority of athletes.
Embracing Failure
One of the principles that Jordan lived by his whole life was his willingness to embrace failure. Ever since he failed at making his varsity basketball team in high school, Jordan had always played without letting the fear of failure creep into his mind. He says in one of his commercials, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” He credits his success to his willingness to try things without letting the fear of failure stop him. He realizes that failure is nothing to be ashamed of, as it can be used as a way to grow.
Leadership
Jordan’s mind was not focused solely on himself but his teammates as well. Our recent LSA blog discussed the qualities of a good leader, and used Jordan as an example of someone who never expected his teammates to do anything he wasn’t already doing. This means that he not only led with his words but by his example. He had high expectations for his teammates because he set high expectations for himself which he always met. As much as Michael Jordan pushed himself, he pushed his teammates just as hard. Although his leadership style was tough and authoritarian, the success of his team showed that his style of leadership worked. He was able to help transform the Bulls into a dynasty because of how he brought the best out of his teammates with his strict approach.
Work Ethic
Jordan gave his all in every game, but it wasn’t just games where he put forth maximum effort. Many of Jordan’s teammates and coaches have revealed that he played just as hard in practice as he did in games. He realized that the habits that he and his team built during practice would carry over into the game, whether good or bad.
In fact, the reason MJ played as fearlessly as he did was because of his work ethic and preparation prior to games. He says, “work ethic eliminates fear. So if you put forth the work then what are you fearing?”. Great work ethic allows you to remind yourself that you deserve to be on the stage that you are. Jordan likely faced the same fears and nerves that we do before big games, but reminding himself of how hard he worked and prepared eliminated that fear. When you work hard at a sport, you can take solace in the fact that you worked just as much if not more than your competition.
Register for TAC Force Academy
Our basketball academy focuses on ingraining things like good work ethic, leadership, and embracing failure into the minds of kids. If you or your child are between the ages of 4 and 16 and live in the GTA, we can help take your game to the next level. Our basketball academy offers JR NBA lessons, year round camps, competitive teams, house leagues and more. Click on the link below to learn more about our programming.
