Determination

Michael Jordon is known throughout the world for the world championships he brought to the Chicago Bulls basketball team. We saw his majestic feats on the court. 

However, many of us did not get a chance to see his total commitment and determination on the practice court. His quote below tells a lot about the man and his determination to be the very best.

“I’ve missed over 9,000 shots in my career. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in life. And that is why I succeed.”

Determination is having the guts to keep going even when it gets tough.  Michael could have given up after missing a couple of those game-winning shots. He didn’t. Rather, he learned from those missed opportunities and continued to work even harder toward reaching his goals. 

Most of us will never be NBA basketball players, but we can all learn something from Michael’s determination to be the best.  And we can apply those lessons to whatever we are doing—school, work, hobbies, sports, etc.

When you set a goal, and have the determination to complete it, you find that setbacks become a problem to overcome rather than a stopping point. 

Suggestions for implementation:

1. Discuss with your family different ways you can overcome potential setbacks.
2. Find a mentor or coach who can help you. We all need a valuable resource to help us overcome challenges.

Questions for discussion:

1. What does Michael Jordon’s quote mean to you?
2. How do you think he overcame his negative feelings when he missed those game-winning shots?

 

Please visit goalsettingforstudents.com for more life skills ideas to help children succeed.  

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Accent On Success® is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving parents and teachers the tools they need to help children succeed in school and in life. Their first book, Goal Setting for Students®, has won three national book awards.   

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