1.“If you quit once, it becomes a habit. Never quit.”
Quitting is a slippery slope.
When we do it once, we’re much more likely to do it again.
Keep this in mind next time you want to cut your workout short or give up on a new habit.
2: “I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent. Greatness is an evolutionary process.”
• Mentors
• Coaches
• Peers ahead of you
MJ utilized these resources.
Why wouldn’t you?
3. “If you accept the expectations of others, especially the negative ones, then you will never change the outcome.”
MJ had a stoic mindset.
He controlled what he could control.
And didn’t waste time on anything he couldn’t.
4. “Never say never. Because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.”
We often fall short of our potential because of our own limiting beliefs.
And it stems from the words we choose to use.
Be careful using the words “can’t” or “never.”
5. “If you do the work, you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.”
Success is unavoidable if you show up:
• Every day
• Every week
• Every year
• For multiple years
Put in the daily reps for long enough, and the rewards will come.
6. “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.”
Belief is everything.
• Change your beliefs
• Change your identity
• Change your outcome
The only thing holding you back from your potential is the limiting beliefs you’re placing on yourself.
7. “Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.”
Even if a decision is “wrong,” there’s no point in looking back at it with regret.
Reframe bad decisions as learning experiences.
And ride the good ones without a second thought.
8. “You can practice shooting 8 hours a day. But if you’re technique is wrong, then all you become is good at shooting the wrong way.”
Shortcut the fundamentals, and you’ll short your potential in the long run.
Nail the fundamentals and build a strong foundation.
9. “Always turn a negative situation into a positive.”
Another stoic quote.
Perception is a choice.
And we have the power of that choice in every moment of every day.
10. “I always had short-term goals. As I look back, each one of the steps or successes led to the next one.”
You can only connect the dots going backward.
You can’t see the next 10 steps in front of you.
All you can see is the next step.
11. “Winning has a price, and leadership has a price.”
Winning in life requires sacrifices.
You can’t expect to have abnormal results with normal behavior.
To be extraordinary, you have to pay the price it takes to be extraordinary.
12. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
Will, wish, and want.
Three similar words.
Completely different outcomes.
Choose your words carefully.
13. “Every time I feel tired, I close my eyes to see that list with my name. That usually motivates me to work again.”
The pain MJ felt when he was cut from his high school team fueled him for life.
Find that dark place in your life.
And use it as energy.
14. “ I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life, I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it.”
You’re never gonna achieve anything being a nice guy.
If you’re gonna be anything in this world, you have to get out there and take it.
15. “It is easy to choose a path of anonymity and lead an empty life. But to strive hard and lead an impactful life, one needs a burning desire to realize dreams.”
Be different.
Chase your passions.
Life’s too short not to.
16. “Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every night.”
Again, controlling the things we can control.
The outcomes in our job or relationships might not go as we planned.
But if we focus on our efforts, things will work out in the long run.
17. “You have competition every day because you set such high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up to that.”
Hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else will.
Be strict with yourself and tolerant of others.
18. “Learning’s a gift, even when pain is your teacher.”
You move one step closer to your highest self whenever you learn something.
But sometimes, learning is only possible through failure or pain.
Realize this is all part of the process.
19. “I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.”
How you do anything is how you do anything.
Attack every part of your life with the same intensity.
The results will go in your favor in the long run.
20. “If it turns out my best wasn’t good enough, at least I won’t look back and say I was afraid to try.”
The #1 regret of people on their deathbeds is that they didn’t try.
• The business
• The adventure
• The dream girl
Don’t live a life of regret.
Go out there and go for it.
21. “If nobody will help you, do it alone. There is no “i” in the team, but there’s an “i” in the win.”
Not everyone will support you.
You’re gonna have doubters, haters, and nay-sayers.
But you have to block out the noise and follow your purpose.
22. “I have failed many times, and that’s why I’m a success.”
The most iconic MJ quote.
We cannot be afraid of failure.
We have to see it as a requirement for progress.
Only then can we confront our lives boldly and find our purpose.
23. “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
Failing is the prerequisite to growing.
You’ll never know your potential unless you’re willing to stare failure in the face and be okay with it.
