I recently wrote about what Steve Nash can teach you about business. Justin Beller commented that greats like Churchill and Michael Jordan can also offer wisdom.
Curious, I decided to check out Jordan. I love this Michael Jordan quote I found on ESPN:
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 and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. — Michael Jordan
When you hear about great athletes, it’s tempting to think that they’re perfect. But the reality is that someone like Michael Jordan has probably missed more shots than anyone else.
If I stop for a moment and think about this myself, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. As I’ve mentioned in my newsletter (subscribe above right), I’ve been working with a personal trainer — and I’ve seen a huge effect on both my professional and personal life. If I think about how when I started, just doing lunges was tricky. I didn’t want to do them. But now I can do dozens in a session and get them right. But I’ve had to do those lunges a few hundred times now. And I see such a difference. If I just focused on how many I messed up, I’d be discouraged. I choose to focus on the results I’ve achieved. And that’s where I can be proud.
So, if you’re working your way through the world of business, try practicing and focusing on the end goal. The mistakes aren’t as important and what you learn.