Michael Jordan achieved his fame as a world class basketball player and a one – time movie star. However, he is also a staunch businessman and owns the professional basketball team, ‘The Charlotte Hornets’. He is well known for his persistence, determination and insight, as well as his famous quotes. Use these Michael Jordan quotes to get inspired, motivated and stoke your hustle.
Make sure to see the most famous sports quotes of all-time (many from Michael Jordan himself) and see inspirational quotes from sports greats like Yogi Berra, Muhammad Ali and other athletes.
1. Air Jordan Having That Competitive Enthusiasm
“I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.” – Michael Jordan
Competitive enthusiasm is a great personality trait. Where would the sporting industry be without it? Where would the entertainment industry be without it? Sometimes it helps to be competitive as it shows you are confident and enthusiastic about what you want to achieve.
Related: 54 Steve Job Quotes on Work, Success and Creating Something of Value
2. His Airness on Overcoming Setbacks
“If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you.” – Michael Jordan
In every walk of life there are roadblocks that stop people from achieving their true potential and their goals. It takes time to persevere and develop a strategy in which to dispel all obstacles and to start to achieve. Never stop trying and good things will surely come to you.
Also read: Motivational Quotes for Success
3. MJ Shares What Basketball Has Meant to Him
“The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace.” – Michael Jordan
When people find their true calling, it can really consume their life and become an emotional rollercoaster. It’s evident from this quote that Michael’s life was consumed entirely by his relationship with basketball. What a fantastic feeling it must be to be this consumed by your true passions.
4. Michael Jordan on Making It Happen
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan
This is a very true quote. A lot of people can wish and want for things all of their lives. They can spend a lot of time talking about things that they want without ever making any effort to truly get them. It really does help to avoid procrastination and start to be proactive in life, every day.
Get motivated with these short motivational quotes (if you don’t have much time).
5. Air Jordan on What It Takes to Be a Champion
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” – Michael Jordan
There is a lot to be said for teamwork, both in work scenarios and in overcoming everyday problems. People say ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’, and in most cases this is very true. Intelligence is also important as we can strive to learn something new every single day.
6. His Airness on Working Your Way Around Problems
“If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan
Some people would agree that obstacles are often put in front of us to challenge us rather than to stop us in our tracks. It’s how we face these obstacles that determines how our lives will progress and what we can truly achieve if we really focus towards our goals.
7. His Airness on Having the Right Attitude
“My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.” – Michael Jordan
Weakness and strength are almost always a matter of perception. If we change the way we think about something, we can often change the way we feel about something at the same time. Once we feel better, our actions will be smarter and more positively focused.
Also read: Self Love Quotes to Make Yourself Stronger
8. MJ Says Just Enjoy the Game
“Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” – Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan makes is all sound so easy being one of the greatest basketball players of all time here. However, if we have fun in what we do every day and try and enjoy ourselves, then surely success and positivity are all that can come in our paths.
9. Air Jordan on Putting Forth the Effort
“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan
Some people see it is a sin not to try, if we don’t try then how will we ever know for certain. Failure is just an obstacle on the road to success. It doesn’t matter how many times we fail at things, as long as we’ve had the courage to try and can muster up the courage to try again.
10. MJ on the Ups and Downs of the Game
“The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals and you can’t let yourself be beat because of lack of effort.” – Michael Jordan
This is true! We all have individual goals and aspirations in our lives, and to a certain extent, it’s only us that can achieve these goals. So despite life’s ups and downs, it’s important that we don’t let things get in the way and we strive to better ourselves every day.
11. Air Jordan on the Expectations of Others
“If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.” – Michael Jordan
If people expect us to fail, this can often lead to a lack in self-confidence, making us more liable to actually fail in life. By dispelling negative expectations and working hard to ensure that we never lose sight our goals, we can stay positive and get closer to achieving our true potential.
12. Michael Jordan on Never Letting Up
“Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.” – Michael Jordan
Nobody achieves anything without putting some effort in. Unfortunately, things just aren’t that easy in life. If we consciously express and deliver as much effort as we can when things are not going our way, then we will see through the fog and get closer and closer to our goals.
Also read: 90 Motivational Quotes on Hard Work and Giving it Your All
13. His Airness on Keeping Your Motivation
“When I lose the sense of motivation and the sense to prove something as a basketball player, it’s time for me to move away from the game.” – Michael Jordan
Sometimes we can start to get bored in our personal or professional lives. This boredom is a sign of lack of fulfilment and we should listen to this and take action. Moving away from things that are unchallenging or negative towards our lives can help us to make room for new and exciting things.
14. MJ on Competing with Yourself
“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.” – Michael Jordan
If we set high standards for ourselves then we will always have something positive to work towards and aim for in life. There is nothing wrong with high standards; they are a way of helping yourself to work towards achieving great things on a daily basis.
15. Air Jordan Says to Try Until the End
“My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, ‘You never know what you can accomplish until you try.”. – Michael Jordan
This is very true! People can change careers in their 40’s and 50’s and feel more fulfilled than they ever have in their lives. People can also take up new hobbies, learn a language and travel the world at any point in their lives. It really is never too late.
16. Michael Jordan on Fear and Limits
“Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.” – Michael Jordan
Sometimes in life we place limits on ourselves, constantly thinking that we cannot achieve things, no matter how hard we try. If you consider life limitless, just think of the things that you may achieve. Take risks and learn from your mistakes.
17. His Airness on the Importance of Work
“I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.” – Michael Jordan
Nothing comes very easily in life and there is a lot to be said for hard work. Testing yourself and aspiring to spend a few hours a day towards one of you goals is a way to ensure that as time goes by, you are constantly getting closer and closer until you finally achieve them.
18. MJ Shares When to Be Selfish and Unselfish
“To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish.” – Michael Jordan.
Selfishness isn’t always a bad thing; we all have to look after number one. Isolation can be one of life’s great misdemeanours. So like Michael says, be selfish until you get to where you want to be and then try and be humble and stay good at the top.
19. Air Jordan on Having a Positive Attitude
“I hope the millions of people I’ve touched have the optimism and desire to share their goals and hard work and persevere with a positive attitude.” – Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan has written bestselling books, advising people on how to turn their lives around and attain their true potential. He has influenced countless numbers of people all over the world. It’s nice to think that he wants nothing more than for these people to keep sharing his positivity and their achievements.
20. Michael Jordan on Turning a Negative to a Positive
“Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.” – Michael Jordan
Whenever we can, it’s best to try and see the good in any given situation, no matter how hard this can be sometimes. If you are seen to be a positive and happy person, you will attract positive, happy people into your life! Stay positive and live happy, prosperous lives.
21. His Airness on the Next Generation
“I want to be the bridge to the next generation.” – Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan has certainly been inspirational and a lot of up and coming basketball players and businessmen will look up to him and aspire to achieve some of his great successes. It’s great that he thinks about the generation ahead and wants to inspire them with his words and actions.
22. MJ on Waking Up
“Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you’re in a fight.” – Michael Jordan
This is a great quote! It’s true that sometimes in life we really must hit rock bottom before we become aware of our true potential and start to panic and work harder to achieve the best we can. As sad as it is, rock bottom can be the first step towards the top.
23. Michael Jordan on Failure and Success
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
It takes a lot to succeed in any competitive sport or challenge that involves physical endurance. Indeed people fail many times before they get things right and start to excel and achieve. It’s perseverance and determination through hard times that help people to finally get where they are going.
24. Michael Jordan on Raising Your Expectations
“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan
We must try and have high expectations of ourselves if we want other people to have high expectations and regards for us. If you aim towards underachieving and expect very little of yourself, how do you think other people with regard you?
(You may also like: 17 Life-Changing Quotes and Phrases)
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