50 Incredible Michael Jordan Quotes

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Michael Jordan Quotes

Michael Jordan is arguably the best basketball player ever.

His Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA during the 1990’s as they won 6 championships in 8 years, including 2 three-peats.

What makes Michael Jordan great is his desire to be the best, no matter what.

Below you will find 50 incredible Michael Jordan quotes.

If you are looking to be great, these are the quotes you need to take to heart.

50 Incredible Michael Jordan Quotes

#1. “Don’t let them drag you down by rumors. Just go with what you believe in.” – Michael Jordan

#2. “Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work.” – Michael Jordan

#3. “I’m not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.” – Michael Jordan

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

#4. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

#5. “For a competitive junkie like me, golf is a great solution because it smacks you in the face every time you think you’ve accomplished something. That to me has taken over a lot of the energy and competitiveness for basketball.” – Michael Jordan

#6. “I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me. Failure always made me try harder the next time.” – Michael Jordan

#7. “Learning’s a gift, even when pain is your teacher.” – Michael Jordan

#8. “Winning isn’t always championships.” – Michael Jordan

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#9. “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.” – Michael Jordan
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#10. “Every time I feel tired while I am exercising and training, I close my eyes to see that picture, to see that list with my name. This usually motivates me to work again.” – Michael Jordan

#11. “I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.” – Michael Jordan

#12. “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

#13. “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.” – Michael Jordan

I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career

#14. “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 in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

#15. “I hope the millions of people I’ve touched have the optimism and desire to share their goals and hard work and perseverance with a positive attitude.” – Michael Jordan

#16. “How many times have your parents told you not to do things, and the next thing you know, you go do it? And you realized you shouldn’t have done it.” – Michael Jordan

#17. “Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you’re in a fight.” – Michael Jordan

#18. “I play to win, whether during practice or a real game.” – Michael Jordan

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#19. “Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That’s truly about the game, and in some ways that’s about life too.” – Michael Jordan
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#20. “If it turns out that my best wasn’t good enough, at least I won’t look back and say I was afraid to try.” – Michael Jordan

#21. “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan

#22. “Live the moment for the moment.” – Michael Jordan

#23. “Make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion

#24. “Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” – Michael Jordan

#25. “I would tell players to relax and never think about what’s at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, you’ve lost your focus.” – Michael Jordan

#26. “Enjoy every minute of life. Never second-guess life.” – Michael Jordan

#27. “It’s absolutely wrong that I don’t want guys to challenge me. And the people who say that aren’t in the room.” – Michael Jordan

#28. “Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.” – Michael Jordan

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#29. “If you quit once it becomes a habit. Never quit!” – Michael Jordan
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#30. “My heroes are and were my parents. I can’t see having anyone else as my heroes.” – Michael Jordan

#31. “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

#32. “Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.” – Michael Jordan

#33. “Heart is what separates the good from the great.” – Michael Jordan

Obstacles don’t have to stop you

#34. “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. 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

#35. “You can practice shooting 8 hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” – Michael Jordan

#36. “I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. When you think about the consequences you will always think of the negative result.” – Michael Jordan

#37. “I’ve never lost a game I just ran out of time.” – Michael Jordan

#38. “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. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don’t isolate.” – Michael Jordan

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#39. “Failure is acceptable. but not trying is a whole different ball park.” – Michael Jordan
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#40. “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” – Michael Jordan

#41. “The minute you get away from fundamentals, whether it’s proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation, the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.” – Michael Jordan

#42. “There is no I in team but there is in win.” – Michael Jordan

#43. “If you do the work you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.” – Michael Jordan

#44. “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

#45. “There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don’t believe there is only one greatest player either.” – Michael Jordan

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#46. “To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail.” – Michael Jordan
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#47. “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan

#48. “The best comes from the worst.” – Michael Jordan

#49. “The key to success is failure.” – Michael Jordan

My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do

#50. “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

Final Thoughts

There are 50 incredible Michael Jordan quotes.

My takeaway from many of his quotes are when you have the drive and desire to not only succeed but to be the best, you can make it happen.

So matter what your dream is, make sure you put in the work to make the dream a reality.

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