Be Like Mike: How to Dunk Like Air Jordan
Growing up in New York I had no love for the 90’s Chicago Bulls basketball team, especially on the multiple occasions they slayed the only good Knicks team in my lifetime. But the Last Dance, the documentary about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, has given me new appreciation for how extraordinary he and they were. Much of the documentary press has focused on Jordan’s personality. One NYTimes article implied that by today’s standards Jordan would be considered a toxic employee. Jordan’s challenging personality aside, we are offered an inside look at one of the greatest performers and greatest teams of all time.
Ok, unless you’re 6’6 I can’t help you dunk like Michael Jordan (but I can help you improve your free throws no matter how tall you are). In the meantime, here are 10 things that made Jordan and the Bulls so great and how you can be like Mike.
Master the fundamentals
When Jordan goes ballistic on the basketball court it’s not because he’s super human. It’s because he has mastery of the fundamentals of the game.
He had the talent and the height that allowed him to become elite. After being cut from his high school varsity team, he grew 5 inches during the summer going into his junior year and made the team.
So what are you best at? What do you have special aptitude for? Focus your pursuit for greatness in these areas.
He had the technical skills. In college Jordan played at UNC under the tutelage of Dean Smith, a program known for its technical precision and excellence.
Where do you need to level up your technical skills? Attain excellence in your chosen craft.
Create and sustain the drive
Jordan had an amazing way of generating single-focused motivation toward his goals starting with:
The motivation. He was deeply competitive and generated and sustained his motivation from the “I’ll show you!” motivation of small slights made by opponents to drawing inspiration from the passing of his father. He considered giving his all an obligation to people who were taking time out of their day to watch him play.
So how can you create motivation for yourself? Who are you obligated to to give your all? When you’re lacking motivation, create it.
High standards. Jordan expected high performance from everyone around him and if you weren’t willing or able to meet that standard then he’d push or pull you until you stepped up to the challenge. He’s clear that he never asked anyone to do what he wouldn’t do himself and he was tough on teammates to get them ready for the battles they would face against other teams.
Where do your standards need to increase? Hold high standards and always walk the walk.
Singular focus. Jordan had one goal. And, it wasn’t to lead the league in scoring or be the best player of all time. It was to “win championships”. And everything he did was geared toward achieving this goal. He did not get distracted or split his energy focusing on too many things.
Where do you need to consolidate your energy and focus? Get clear on your goals and align your actions to achieve them.
Being Present. As one of the interview subjects noted, Jordan’s true gift, the thing that made him an extraordinary basketball player, was his ability to be completely present. This is summed up nicely in Jordan’s statement, “why worry about a shot I haven’t taken yet?” Being present allowed him the confidence to take, and the calmness to make, the game winning shot again and again.
What do you worry about that you haven’t even done yet? Let go of your worry about the future and see if it frees you up to play bigger.
Transcend
Jordan seemed to get better over time as he shifted away from merely being concerned with personal achievement. Here’s how:
Make others better. He cared about winning championships more than his own personal achievement. His acceptance of the use of the Triangle Offense would mean he would be personally less prolific but that the team would do better.
How can you start focusing more on your “team” and making them better? Spend more time investing in things that will improve others and see how it pays off.
Continuous improvement. Jordan did whatever it took to keep getting better and ultimately win. After they lost to the Detroit Pistons Jordan and the team spent the off-season in the weight room bulking up to add strength against the more physical Detroit team. The next year they beat them.
What adjustments do you need to make to better perform in your given domain? Identify the one thing that will make the biggest difference if you improve it.
Ground yourself. Jordan’s father was always at his side. He was his friend and confident. After his father died, he spent more time with his security team, older guys, who in his words helped keep his thinking clear and sound.
Who are the people in your life who help keep your thinking clear as you go for greatness? Make sure you have your confidants to keep you grounded.
Be Authentic
Through the media pressure and global stardom Michael Jordan seemed to know who he was and stay true to that. Some of this was his upbringing and the people he had around him but there was something else.
The space to be authentic. Michael Jordan was a difficult person to work with. But you get the sense that what you saw with him was what you got. His authenticity allowed him to walk away from Basketball at his prime to pursue his childhood dream of being a professional baseball player. The Bulls, under Coach Phil Jackson, made space for the individual needs and eccentricities of players, if it would help them perform. The most prominent example of this was Dennis Rodman’s weekend leave to party in Las Vegas during a playoff run.
Where do you need to allow greater space for authenticity, for yourself and for those around you? Be yourself, even if others don’t like it.
These are my ten takeaways. I hope you can use some of what made Michael Jordan and the 90’s Bulls so great and put it to use in whatever endeavor you are currently striving.
I’ll leave you with the Chicago Bulls team chant they say before each game. Hands in everyone:
“What time is it!? Game Time! Hoo!”
Let me know how those free-throws go.