If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.
— Michael Jordan
I never thought a role model should be negative.
I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot... when you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result.
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.
I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else's talent.
As athletes, we're used to reacting quickly. Here, it's 'come, stop, come, stop.' There's a lot of downtime. That's the toughest part of the day.
There's only one Michael Jordan.
Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.
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. 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.
I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.
Even when I'm old and grey, I won't be able to play it, but I'll still love the game.
I realize that I'm black, but I like to be viewed as a person, and this is everybody's wish.
My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline.
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.
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.
Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.
I've had tendinitis since college.
I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
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.
Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.
My heroes are and were my parents. I can't see having anyone else as my heroes.
The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.
My challenge when I came back was to face the young talent, dissect their games, and show them maybe that they needed to learn more about the game than just the money aspect.
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.'
The best evaluation I can make of a player is to look in his eyes and see how scared they are.
I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.
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.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
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.
