“I’ve failed over and over again in my life.” Most people probably do not associate failure with Michael Jordan, but this quote shows that, in some part, he does. Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. (Jenson 203). Michael led the Chicago Bulls to six championships in 1991-93 and also in 1996-98. (“Michael Jordan.” The). There are two theories on why people achieve success, one of them is grit, which is passion and perseverance for long term goals. (Duckworth 33). The other theory is the “Matthew effect” where you have many opportunities in life that help you achieve your goals. (Gladwell). Michael Jordan shows more grit than the “Matthew effect” because his passion and perseverance for basketball, not his parents guidance along the way made him successful, because he mostly taught himself and practiced what he knew to become better, Jordan has achieved success because of grit.
As Angela Duckworth says, “Grit is passion and perseverance for very long term goals.” (Duckworth 33). During Michael’s freshman year he tried out for the varsity basketball team
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at Laney High School in North Carolina. When he tried out, he was considered “too small.” Sophomore year he tried out again, this time he made it but ended up being cut before the season even began. (Jenson 203). From this, Michael, clearly had passion and perseverance for basketball because even though he failed he kept trying until he made it where he wanted to make it to achieve his goals. “He always tried, but accepted when he failed.” (Jenson 204). This supports the claim, because knowing you failed at something and accepting it is part of grit. When you learn by yourself or teach yourself to do something you have to be ready to fail at things before you succeed at them. Based on these facts Michael definitely had passion for his sports because he always tried to succeed and get better and he never thought to give up. Moving on, “Kids are much more likely to persevere when they fail, because they don’t believe that failure is a permanent condition.” (Duckworth 56). Michael had grit because failure came easy to him; it just pushed him to work harder and to be the best he could be at the sports he loved to play. Since Michael failed his first few times, he knew failure was temporary. He learned that if you practice what you need to work on, you can get better at it. Michael never gave up on his future. He achieved the success he wanted, including the six championships he brought his team to and won in 1991-93 and in 1996-98. (“Michael Jordan.” The). Michael showed failure throughout his career, but all those times, it was just temporary, he also achieved great success with these championships. Based on all these reasons, Michael showed failure throughout his career, but he pushed through to achieve success, because he knew failure is temporary. Furthermore, “The best idea about building grit is something called growth mindset.” (Grit 52). Michael had a growth mindset because the success he had depended on how much effort he put forth. (Jenson 204). Michael also had growth mindset because it is used when you put forth effort and achieve success and this is what Michael usually did. Growth mindset also helped Michael make the $90 million dollars he now has because of his work ethic. (“Michael Jordan, 90 million”). Knowing these things about Michael shows how good his work ethic can be when you put your mind to it and actually work hard. Also, knowing these reasons explains how your work ethic combined with growth mindset and leads to success. Surprisingly, some people think that Michael was given opportunities because he had parents who pushed him to become successful and work hard.
(Jenson 203). Michael’s parents James and Delores Jordan always taught him to do work with determination and to do his best. (Jenson 203). Yet Michael had more grit than opportunities because he didn’t listen to what other people had to say. He did what he wanted to do and taught himself most of what he knows how to do. Finally, out of all the things that happened throughout his career, he shows grit because he learned the way he wanted to, not how everyone else wanted him to. He also has grit because he always ends up succeeding no matter what he does, and while he had supportive parents his rejection from the basketball team -twice-shows that he didn’t have as many opportunities as most
kids. In the end, Michael Jordan succeeded more because of grit rather than parentage and patronage because even though he has had little help, he chose to succeed the best way he knew how. His greatest success was becoming known as the greatest all-around basketball player in the history of the game. (”Michael Jordan.” The). People can achieve success by working hard and having a good work ethic. If you want to succeed, you have to accept failing first because you can’t be amazing at something until you know how to fail at it. To conclude, I think anyone who wants to have great success should learn from Michael, who doesn’t just accept failure – he measures his success from his failures: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that’s why I succeed.”
It was not until the year 2002 that the NBA was able to find someone to match Jordan’s dazzling acrobatic style of play. His name is Lebron James. Lebron, who plays shooting guard and small forward, stands at an athletic six-eight. James, however, never played in the NCAA. He was drafted straight out of high school in the 2003-04 season, by the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is already on the road to success by achieving co-rookie of the year, and he appeared in the Olympics. James is expected to be a champion, but he may not have what it takes to become a real champion such as Michael Jordan was. Before Jordan or James can be categorized as a champion, they have to be able to handle pressure, fame, and maintain a positive relationship with their team. When comparing Jordan and James’ clutch capabilities, or their ab...
Wes Moore, the author, had many important role models in his life that would eventually enable him to live up to his full capability. Uncle Howard, Wes’ mother’s brother, filled the hole that was left when Moore’s father died and when“[he] was eleven… and having difficulty in and out of the classroom [he could lean] on Uncle Howard’s shoulder”. Moore’s uncle was the man who convinced Moore that he could achieve more than just basketball at school, that education would allow him to reach his full potential. The persuasion to drop basketball as a career, enabled
Walter LeFeber's book serves as a cornerstone of reference for its content as it relates to race, black business and the expansion of global capitalism since the late 20th century. With regard to race, it shows how race effected middle-class Michael Jordan at a young age and how he grew in the star he became, yet still could not es...
When Michael was a sophomore in high school he tried out for the varsity team and was cut. Michael was devastated when he got the news. Michael was determined to get on this team and he never gave up. Michael grew taller and expanded his game as his hard work paid off. Michael would perform so well in his final two years of school, he was
Michael Jordan can say he has had an amazing career and accomplished many things in his life. From his childhood to adulthood, he has done remarkable things. Most people hope to have a life and career like
The famous retired basketball player Michael Jordan sees eye to eye with Gladwell vision of success. According to 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 that is why I succeed.” by using facts and figures Michael Jordan highlights all his failures and how he grew from them and that to get to success you need work and
In Jim Naughton’s book Taking To The Air, the main character is Michael Jordan. The book is Jordan’s life and talents. Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. He was the fourth child and the youngest of three boys. Michael Jordan is by any measure, the most popular athlete in America and perhaps the best-known figure in the world. I have chosen to use Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy of Need to analysis Jordan’s personality. I will do my analysis by focusing on Jordan’s healthy personality, which is marked by his continued personal growth.
Michael Jordan, what comes to your mind when you hear that name? Michael had played for the bulls and had gotten 6 championship rings with the team. Well, is it just me or does that sound like a lot of time in the game of basketball? In 1982 he took a big step up from highschool to college, where he wanted to pursue the basketball dream. He went to college at North Carolina where he played NCAA basketball for just one year before he was drafted in 1984.
To Michael playing basketball in the NBA “seemed something of a distant dream'; (Halberstam 20), but even after he was cut from the varsity team Michael still practiced every day. Michael’s practice paid off in his junior and senior years when he was the best player on the varsity team. After high school Michael was off to the University of North Carolina where for three years he would have some amazing accomplishments in basketball.
Jordan foerver change the way basketball has been played. He accopmplished feats many athletes had never dreamed of attempting. Even though Michael is finished playing basketball on the profesional level, he still involved with the game. He hold camps for young aspiring basketball players. He also is part owner of the Charolette Bobcats.
Michael Jeffery Jordan was born on February 17th, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York but, would go to college at the University of North Carolina(UNC) where he would become an All- American his sophomore and junior year, become the College Player of the Year and win an National Championship. After leaving UNC at the end of his junior year season, Jordan would spend a majority of his career in Chicago, Illinois when he was drafted by the NBA team the Chicago Bulls 21 years later. Throughout his career many people knew Michael Jordan would become what was known as The “G.O.A.T”. While in the NBA, Jordan was recognized for his countless achievements, athleticism and the way he impacted the sport of basketball. In 1985 when he was drafted, Jordan was easily nominated for Rookie of the Year over future NBA hall of famers such as Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and John Stockton. During his reign, Jordan was a six-time NBA champion in the years 1991 through 1993 and 1996 through 1998 and was one of few athlet...
Throughout his childhood and teenage years Terry has shown strong determination to achieve his goals. As a child Terry had always wanted to play basketball for his school. Unfortunately, he was not very good at this sport. He practiced until in eighth grade when he made the basketball team. His coach advised him to take up a different sport such as running or soccer due to his short height. Although
People seem to have a deep restlessness about the fact that society can never accept equality of greatness. Lastly, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan had the same attitude that highlighted their NBA achievements. For example, in the renowned sports website Bleacher Report, NBA columnist Zach Buckley critiqued an article, Michael Jordan Says He Influenced The Way Kobe Bryant Plays, he specified “Like Jordan, Bryant has flashed a ruthless killer instinct that can only come from within. The pair demoralized opponents with insatiable competitive drives, demanded the world from teammates and even more from themselves. There is no way to add these innate assets. They cannot be learned—one simply has them or they don't” (par. 11). The killer instinct attitude is when a basketball player single handedly takes over a game while his teammates put behind his back. It shows a player’s “beast” mentality; the sole reason why Kobe is nicknamed “The Black Mamba” – it strikes deadly. Michael and Kobe are both considered as the greatest closers of a game. It is when times of a tie game with only a matter of seconds on the clock, they put the entire pressure on them by wanting to take the last second buzzer beater to win a game in a heartbeat. Kobe is a fierce warrior like Michael who fights until the last second even if his team is struggling to shoot the ball. They both know how to carry their entire team on their shoulders. Kobe like Michael broke several legendary records including the most points in NBA history because of that destroyer mentality. Kobe Bryant’s mentality is focused heavily on success that several people including trainers and coaches admire his unbelievable work ethic. From always being the earliest player to arrive everyday to training camp to being the last to leave the facility due to his heavy intense training attitude. Both players would risk losing a limb before
Everyone wants to get better at something, but some want it more than others. In “How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium”, the narrator wants to get better at basketball, so he wakes up everyday at 4:30 to go with his dad to his work. Everyday, the narrator would wait 3 hours in his dad’s car until the gym opened, only to sit on the bench and watch the other men play basketball. Finally, one of the best players, Dante, tells the narrator he can play but he’ll get “smoked”. However, the narrator proved him wrong. The narrator learns that if you persevere, work hard, and have confidence, your dreams may come true. In How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place
The greatest athletes are not only determined toward their goal but they also have a reason to do what they do.They have a purpose that drives them to overcome any obstacle life sets them.Michael Jordan,Muhammad Ali and Buster Douglas are archetypes of successful athletes due to the fact that they had a purpose that was greater than themselves.They are destined to succeed at any price because their why is greater than any setback.