5 Takeaways I Had from "The Last Dance"(Parts VII and VIII)... and How We Can Apply Them to Life, Sales and Leadership (Chapter 4).

"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful." - Eric Thomas. One of my all-time favorite quotes. I have it on my mirror and I look at it before I attack every day. To me, it represents the epitome of someone wanting something so badly they'll do absolutely whatever it takes. Since I first heard it, it's been a rallying cry. The only limit in life is you.

When I watch "The Last Dance" and think of Michael Jordan, I think of that quote to the 10,000 power. Jordan was relentless and one of a kind. Success was his only option. Parts VII and VIII depicted this more than I could have ever imagined. He was always searching for additional motivation to hit that next gear. From being fueled by opposing team members celebrating in his face, to being ignored by an opposing team's coach at a local restaurant. Jordan would even fabricate stories about opposing team members after having a bad game just to motivate himself. His trainer, Tim Grover said it best, "That was part of his greatness... never being satisfied." Some people may question his demeanor and leadership style. Some may say he wasn't a good teammate and a bully. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. What I will say that he had a pathological obsession to compete and be the best. He 100% succeeded at that.

Even as he switched professions in the middle of his career, he brought that same level of dedication and tenacity. When others questioned his decision to go play baseball, he didn't succumb to their opinions. He wasn't worried about the outside noise. When he wasn't performing to the standard, he didn't quit. He put his head down and worked that much harder. One way or another, he was going to find a way to be successful. That's greatness.

Similar to him, I too had an affinity with baseball being my first love. Even though I didn't return to the game like Jordan after winning my 3-peat at the highest level of peewee football, the Plano Football League, I never fell out of love with the game (And yes, this is a magnet that's been on my parent's fridge for 20+ years now).

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

1. James Jordan's lasting impact on Michael Jordan: Michael Jordan said the biggest thing he learned from his dad is you have to take every negative and spin it into a positive. Even amid the tragic loss of his father, he was still able to find solace through his father's words and try to look at the other side. Negativity is a very real thing and easily transferable. Avoid energy vampires and those that manifest negativity as much as possible. I remember hearing in school growing up, "one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch." It rings true today. Make a conscious effort to separate yourself from those who bring you down. In the event, you aren't able to fully avoid a negative situation, find a way to have a glass half-full perspective. Positivity breeds positivity.
2. Jordan's 1st retirement and his journey into baseball: Two-time championship manager, Terry Francona said Jordan could have gotten to the majors with 1500 at-bats under his belt. That's how you knew he was the real deal. He hadn't played baseball in 14 years, but he had the potential of going all the way. No matter what you do in life, starting behind the curve doesn't necessarily mean that you have to stay behind the curve. Everybody starts behind the curve at some point in their life. Making the jump from high school to college. Finishing college to your first job in the real world. Kobe Bryant even started behind the curve when he made the leap to the NBA. That's why he implemented his legendary 4 am workouts. That's also why he also stuck with them his whole career, to stay ahead of the curve. What matters more than anything is the amount of time, effort and heart you're willing to put into your craft. It's never too late to learn that skill or pick up a new hobby. Start today and be willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.
3. Michael Jordan's writing his own press release... "I'm Back": Talk about brevity! When working in sales, time is of the essence. Studies show you have less than 7 seconds to grab the attention of the person you're speaking to. Every second counts. When you get a decision maker on a cold call, you may only be given 30 seconds to justify why it may make sense for them to agree to meet with you. If you do get that meeting, you may only have 10-15 minutes to express value, drive urgency and warrant a definitive next step. Often times in sales, we overcomplicate the process. We talk too much. We don't ask the right questions. We psyche ourselves out. It's important to take a deep breath and slow things down. Be prepared. Ask good questions. Be concise. K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid.
4. Jordan and the Bulls winning their 4th Championship: Though it's not overtly stated, it's clear that Jordan's sole motivation for winning that 4th championship was to honor his late father. Every single action he took throughout the season was intentionally directed towards that mission. One of the most important things you can do for yourself in life is find your why. It's not easy, but take the first step and simply ask yourself, "what's your why?" The answer isn't always immediate, and it certainly doesn't come overnight. Some people can go their whole lives without understanding their true why. However, take the time to truly invest in yourself to ask the hard question. Great things happen when you do. When the why is clear, the how to get to where you want to be becomes that much easier. Make it a point to have each decision you make tie back to your why. Let it become your true north.
5. "Starts off with hard work, ends in champagne. Let's work." - Michael Jordan: Talk about a new lifestyle motto. Success is strongly determined by the actionable steps you take on the front end. Goal Setting 101. It's all about intentionality. If you haven't been creating daily/monthly/yearly goals, now's the time to start. SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals are where I built my foundation. Specifically in sales, goal setting is essential. If you're just calling to call or emailing to email, you'll never be able to determine if your day was considered a win. Look at your business and make it SMART. "I want to have 40 touchpoints before I go to lunch at 12 pm." "I want to book 2 appointments/day and have a minimum of 10 appointments by the end of the week." Make them tangible and most of all, always write them down. There's an added level of satisfaction when you're able to cross something off a list. Another piece of advice when goal setting: make them lofty, but realistic. Find goals that will be a challenge to hit, but certainly aren't out of reach. Maximize your day. Once it's all said and done, end it with champagne.

"The Last Dance" comes to an incredible conclusion next week. I'm not ready for it to end, are you?