5 Takeaways I Had from "The Last Dance"(Parts IX and X)... and How We Can Apply Them to Life, Sales and Leadership (Final Chapter).

"The Last Dance:" A cinematic masterpiece. Truly the greatest sports docuseries of all-time. Amid everything going on in today's current climate, "The Last Dance" provided us with something we all needed, hope and joy. It had us planning our Sunday nights to make sure we'd be able to watch live. It gave us something fun to talk about, and an opportunity to connect with old friends. Ultimately, it filled us with a sense of catharsis we all need.

Though it's come to a close, I think "The Last Dance" reminded us about the importance of self-reflection: It reminded us winning has a price: Every day we have the choice of what we're willing to do to succeed, and nothing worth accomplishing comes easy. It reminded us that everything on the surface is not always as it seems: Underneath it all, everybody is going through a battle nobody knows about. It also reminded us of the golden rule, "Treat others how you want to be treated." Is the way you treat others reflective of how you want to be remembered? Simple life lessons, but nevertheless profound.

As it has come to a close, the legacy of "The Last Dance" will live on. In my opinion, it re-solidifies Michael Jordan as the Greatest Of All Time. Even more so, it proved the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts. On Phil Jackson's team, Jordan had to be willing to sacrifice personal accolades and accomplishments to reach greater heights. 6 championships later I think he made the right decision. And after those 6 illustrious championship runs, it finally reminded us that everything good has to come to an end (Similar to my Tennessee Titans football team breaking up after 3 consecutive championships because we all had to attend different middle schools. Shout out to my dad for finding my old trophies and helmet to snap this picture too...).

As mentioned in the previous articles, some of these takeaways could and should be considered a stretch. "The Last Dance" taught me more about life, sales and leadership than one would think. If you haven't checked out my previous takeaways from Parts VII and VIII, click here. Here are 5 takeaways from Parts IX and X in no particular order:

1. "We will win Game 7." - Michael Jordan before the last game of the '98 Eastern Conference Finals: Accountability, affirmation and visualization. When Jordan said this to the media, he knew exactly what he was doing. He was creating an added layer of motivation and accountability for himself and his team. If other's knew his intentions, he'd have expectations to uphold. When you tell others you're going to do something, you know you can't cut corners. Additionally, Michael Jordan believed in the power of affirmation and visualization. He spoke and envisioned things into reality. Similarly, these were huge pieces to my success as a seller. Both helped set the tone before everything I did. Before each call, I'd envision myself picking up the phone and getting a live call. Next, I would say to myself and teammates around me, "Here comes a live one!" Would they always answer? No. However, it always prepared me to be mentally dialed in. In the event, they didn't answer and I planned to leave a message, I would say to myself "This is going to be the best voicemail of the day." Once I finished that touchpoint, I'd go to the next one, visualize and affirm, and do it all over again. Some could consider this overkill, but, I'm a huge believer in giving myself any advantage I can find. Visualization and affirmation did that. Speak things into existence.
2. The start of Jordan's playing career vs the end of his playing career: Jordan highlights how he consistently had to evolve his game while in the league. Things he did in his younger playing days didn't necessarily fit his skillset as he got older. On top of that, opposing teams would consistently study his game and try to find new ways to stop him. Jordan had to constantly evaluate himself and be willing to change his plan of attack. Adaptability is one of the biggest traits needed for life, especially in sales. The sales landscape is constantly changing and we need to stay ahead of the curve as much as possible. The smile and dial philosophy of the past doesn't necessarily translate as well as it used to. Conversations with each person differ. Consumers may want to focus on talking favorite sports memories, while business owners may want to get straight to the nitty-gritty. One day your sales cadence can be working swimmingly and the next day it hits a wall and none of it works anymore. Being adaptable matters. Your time in the industry also plays a factor. The more reps you've had, the easier it is to pivot and run the "read option." You have to be able to listen and understand, read the situation and move forward with the correct recommendation. Be quick, be open to pivoting and be confident in your abilities.
3. Steve Kerr's mentality before his game-winner in '97 NBA Championship: Jordan knew he was going to get double-teamed on the final play of the game. He told Kerr if he's open, he'll find him. Kerr's response, "I'll be ready." Kerr wasn't a star player. He knew that on any given night he may only get 4-5 shots a game. However, he knew that he could be called on at any given moment and he always needed to be ready. He was. Treat every rep you make like it's a real-life situation. It could be your moment to shine and if you're not prepared, you could let it pass by. Study your materials and know the product knowledge like the back of your end. Attack every mock phone call or appointment with the same level of dedication and execution as if it were with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Fall in love with the process. Always be ready.
4. Jordan listening to his headphones on the bus: With all the meme-worthy content through "The Last Dance", Jordan jamming out to music on the bus has to be my personal favorite. For as much of a killer instinct Jordan had, he had the profound ability to live in the moment. To be fully present. One of my all-time favorite quotes from him, "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." A missed game-winner from earlier in the season wouldn't dictate his confidence in taking the next one. He never let his past dictate his present or future. Focus on mindfulness and staying present in the moment.
5. Jordan's rookie interview regarding the future of the Bulls organization: Before Jordan, the Bulls weren't a historic franchise. In an interview early in his career, he said one of his primary goals for the Bulls was to take them to the same heights as teams like the Celtics, Lakers and 76ers. He wanted to leave a legacy within the organization. We must ask ourselves that same question, "What do we want our legacy to be?" Whether it's directed towards your family, friends, work, or community, how do you want to be remembered for? Take the time to find out how you can spread joy and make the biggest impact on yourself and those around you. 

Even though I enjoyed taking time to find takeaways from each episode to provide real-life applications, the biggest takeaway from "The Last Dance" is that's it's just a wonderful piece of art. More than anything else, we should just kick your feet up, lean back and enjoy.