Ah … That Indomitable Spirit

English: Walter A. Brown Trophy located at the Basketball Hall of Fame (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have written a few articles telling you that you are unique, and that you have a special place in this world. You need to know where it is you want to go in this life and go after it. Do not let anyone or anything stop. There will be roadblocks and bumps in the road, that’s ok, just treat them like a “gut-check.” When it seems like you have failed, remember, you do not fail until you quit.

MJ did not quit. He was a young sophomore growing up in North Carolina, who wanted to be on his high school sports team. When he tried out for the team, he did not make it, he was not big enough. MJ worked very hard over the summer, he came back the next year and made the team. That did not end his road blocks though. Along the way he had a competitor that beat him three years in a row, he lost his dad at a time when he felt he really needed him, and he also had people who tried to take from him and pull him down. But, MJ did not quit.

Many of his fans (and he has many) would be surprised to know some of those things about MJ. You see MJ is still humble, he never forgot what it is like to struggle, to have people tell you no, and work against you. He is a celebrity now, known around the world, and created a surge of popularity for his sport.

Here is a list of just a few of his accomplishments:

• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2009
• 2 Olympic gold medals – 1984, 1992
• 6× NBA Champion
• 6× NBA Finals MVP
• 5× NBA MVP
• 10 NBA Scoring Titles
• 3× steals leader
• 3× minutes leader
• 14 NBA All-Star Selections
• 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP
• 11 All-NBA Selections
• 9 All-Defensive First Team Selections
• 2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion – 1987, 1988
• NBA Rookie of the Year – 1984–85
• NBA Defensive Player of the Year – 1987–88
• NCAA National Championship – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 1981–82
• ACC Freshman of the Year – 1981–82
• 2× Consensus NCAA All-American First Team – 1982–83, 1983–84
• ACC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year – 1983–84
• USBWA College Player of the Year – 1983–84
• Naismith College Player of the Year – 1983–84
• John R. Wooden Award – 1983–84
• Adolph Rupp Trophy – 1983–84
• Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year – 1991
• Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996
• Ranked No.1 by SLAM Magazine’s Top 50 Players of All-Time
• Ranked No.1 by ESPN Sports century’s Top 100 Athletes of the 20th century
• Elected to North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame

(the above short list is from wikipedia.org )

After his father died he became a minor league baseball player to fulfill his father’s dream of seeing his son as a major league baseball player. He carried his strong work ethic with him onto the baseball diamond.

He re-wrote sports history and has reached and touched the lives of thousands if not millions.

His friends and family know him as MJ, but his fans know him as “the greatest basketball player of all time”, Air Jordan, and His Airness.

You and I know him as Michael Jordan.

So you see, do not ever give up on your dreams, you never know where they will take you. Stick to your dreams, always work hard, and keep a gentle smile.

I have never been a basketball fan, but I like Mike. Thank you Michael Jordan, thank you for setting an example for the rest of us to follow to reach our dreams. Thank you for showing our children that nice guys do finish first, and lastly thank you for being you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jordan