The Jordan Rules of Success & Achieving Greatness

Rule 1: Clearly Communicate Your Ambition

Here it is:

The era of the shy is over. Fortune favours the bold.

What do you want? Like really…what do you want?

Ambition is not a bad thing. Like any tool it’s capacity for good or for evil lies in its owner, its user. I’m not talking about using people.

I’m not talking about stepping on others to get what you want. There is honour to running your business with boldness and decency. There is dignity in elevating the stature and expanding the vision of your people. There is beauty when you can pour time, talent and opportunities into others. Self-centredness is the ugliness of ambition. I’m concerned with ambition’s goodness.

Ambition is the trailer of your story. This is what you want to do; this is where you want to go. It’s the trailer for your audience, your fans, your friends, your supporters. If they invest in you, where are you taking them? Is this gonna be a comedy or a moody thriller? Both?

Ambition is fun. Some brands, some artists can come off as super serious, black t-shirts, scowls the whole nine. Ambition prompts play. I’ve no problems working hard, training like I’m Rocky in the snow but yo, I gotta stop every now and then and plant a whoopee cushion. You know the road is already gonna be hard, may as well make sure we have lots of laughs.

Ambition is an invitation to others to participate in your journey; once you know the destination…who do you need to make it happen? It took a while but Jordan eventually found the right teammates to get it done. Like an NBA team Jesus gathered his 12. Who is missing from your 12? Ambition provides the clarity, the motivation and even the inspiration to track down your missing 12. Nowadays I’m starting to think you can do it with less than 12, you really need a good starting 5 don’t you? 4 considering you’re the franchise player.

Ambition is the courage to make changes to your existing 12. Horace Grant was out, Rodman so in! And really what a better fit.

Michael Jordan was always clear. 70 wins (ended up with 72 actually). Win a championship.

One goal means one vision.

It starts with one goal, one victory…

In 2001 Bono at the Grammys announced live: “[We’re] reapplying for the job. What job? The best band in the world job.”

I’ve already done that.

So ask:

What do you want? Like really…what do you want?

Then answer. Then do.

The era of the shy is over. Fortune favours the bold.

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Every Tues. I’ll be posting Jordan Rules of Success & Achieving Greatness

Also published on Medium.