Are you doing everything you can to deserve success? In this installment of the Profound series, Ken Courtright talks about sportscaster Mark Giangreco’s interview with the NBA superstar Michael Jordan. If you want to excel in your skills or venture in life, you have to go the extra mile. Listen to Ken as he shows you the power of being at work ahead of time or doing tasks earlier than expected.
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Profound #2
This is the show where I drop little nuggets here and there that can hopefully help you grow your business. This is episode 130 and it’s called Profound #2. I’m going to drop a little series here of little profound nuggets that hopefully can make you think and maybe implement. There is a gentleman named Mark Giangreco. He’s a sports commentator in Chicago and he had the honor of interviewing Michael Jordan during game seven of his final stint as an NBA player. He had this great idea, “I’m going to get to the stadium four hours early, gather my thoughts and sit down in the dark stadium. I will allow my thoughts to go, roll and come up with some great questions to ask Michael Jordan after his incredible career.”
He and the cameraman get there about 4 to 5 hours early at the stadium and all of a sudden, he hears this noise. The noise is getting louder as it gets towards the center of the stadium. Lo and behold, he sees Michael Jordan practicing and he’s talking about full-out practice. He’s sweating, he’s popping threes, he’s shooting free throws, he’s run layups and marching. Greco runs up to Jordan and says, “Michael, what are you doing? I got here four hours early just to gather my thoughts for our interview.” He comes right out and he goes, “I can’t help it.” “Why are you risking injury before game seven of the finals?”
Do what others are unwilling to do. Click To TweetIt’s the world series of basketball and the NBA finals, and Jordan looks up, laughs and he says, “That’s simple. I have to do what others are unwilling to do. Regular professionals, they practice during practice, but I have to deserve to hit the game-winning shot. I believe I have to practice outside of practice since game one of my professional career and before every game, I practice. I practice when nobody’s looking. I practice when nobody else would consider practicing because I need to feel that I deserve to hit the game-winning shot.”
My question to everybody reading, do you feel like you deserve to win? Do you feel like you’ve practiced outside of practice? You’re an entrepreneur and you’re a business owner. You show up. Do you do 9 to 5? Do you get up early? Do you stay late? I’m not saying that’s everything. There’s a lot to be said for Bill Gates saying, “If you can’t get it done in 40 hours a week, you’re doing something wrong.” I’ve got hundreds of more stories that I’ve heard, witnessed and even done myself of the power of one more phone call. The power of getting to work an hour before anybody else.
As most of you know, I’m working before 6:00 in the morning and sometimes, seven days a week, not because I want to self-sacrifice. I’m putting the time in because I can think clearly, think freely, the phone doesn’t ring and I’m productive. It’s my way of doing it. I’m not saying that’s right for everybody, but the bottom line is I want everybody to think, “Are you doing everything you can? Do you deserve to win?” See you.
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