I Can’t Accept Not Trying
By Michael Jordan (World famous
basketball player)
I always had the ultimate goal of being the best, but
I approached everything step by step.
That’s why I wasn’t afraid to go to the
I
had always set short-term goals. As I look
back, each one of those steps or successes led to the next one. When I got cut from the varsity team
as a sophomore in high school, I learned something. I knew I never wanted to feel that bad
again. I never wanted to have that taste
in my mouth again, that hole in my stomach.
So
I set a goal of becoming a starter on the varsity. That’s what I focused on all summer. When I worked on my game, that’s what
I thought about. When it happened, I set
another goal, a reasonable, manageable goal that I could realistically achieve
if I worked hard enough.
Each time I visualized where I wanted to
be, what kind of player I wanted to become.
I guess I approached it with the end in mind. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and I
focused on getting there. As I reached
those goals, they built on one another.
I gained a little confidence every time I came through.
So I built up the confidence that I could
compete at
Take those small steps. Otherwise you’re opening yourself up
to all kinds of frustration. Where would your confidence come from if the only
measure of success was becoming a doctor?
If you tried as hard as you could and didn’t become a doctor, would that
mean your whole life was a failure? Of course not.
All those steps are like pieces of a
puzzle. They all come together to form a
picture. If it’s complete, then you’ve
reached you goal. If not, don’t get down
on yourself. If you’ve done your
best, then you will have had some accomplishments along the way. Not everyone is going to get the entire
picture. Not everyone is going to be the
greatest salesman or the greatest basketball player. But you can still be considered one of the
best, and you can still be considered a success.
That’s why I’ve always set short-term
goals. Whether it’s golf, basketball,
business, family life, or even baseball, I set goals-realistic goals-and I
focus on them. I ask questions; I read;
I listen. I’m not afraid to ask anybody
anything if I don’t know. Why should I
be afraid? I’m trying to get
somewhere. Help me; give me
direction. Nothing
wrong with that. Step by step, I
can’t see any other way of
accomplishing anything.