The Last Dance

As I watched the documentary series “The Last Dance,” chronicling Michael Jordan and the Bulls, I immediately thought of his love and expectation of the game. I could’ve talk about how ruthless and heartless some of the players said he was and per some of his teammates, I could’ve also talk about how mean and degrading he was. However, I looked at the way he fought to win games while sometimes going through the agony of defeat. I noticed how he pushed his teammates with such force like a mother trying to give birth to her unborn child. But just like a mother, giving up will never be an option no matter how challenging the situation gets. He fought when he was sick and when he was well. He also fought through the hurt of losing his father and the assumption of the press implying that his dad’s death was due to his (MJ’s) gambling habits. He was devastated and overwhelmed, but he stayed the course and took those frustrations to the court. He practiced hard and worked harder during those low times. Yet, he continued his fight to lead the Bulls to victory…a championship that is! His competitive nature was considered being something that has never been seen before or as some may say, “unhuman!”

Can you imagine pushing yourself through years of defeat or competing with your past self so that your future self can be more promising and productive in life?

Or, can you imagine being mentally battered and/or shoved around by your peers whether it is in the boardroom, the courtroom, or in the in classroom? One day you contemplate giving up on your dreams because of the pressure and the next day you have an epiphany and decide to stand firm and strong. No matter the storm or tribulation that you may endure just know that failure is not an option it is a lesson. It is inevitable to fail because in life we will not always succeed the first, second, or third time. We may fail numerous times, but we must understand why we keep failing, we must learn from our failures, we must not make excuses, and we must keep striving and working towards our vision. Failure is not who you are, failure is what happens to you. If we do not dedicate time and effort to improving ourselves, then who will? The heart must be aligned with the mind to pursue greatness. People are not born great; they strive to become great. They do not give up no matter their challenges or setbacks. They keep going until their level of success is reached and/or until they become a winner in this game called defeat. The bottom line…Failure Is Just A Short-Term Roadblock Not A Definite Dead End. “Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win.” -Vince Lombard-