Michael Jordan, 63, says he’s “cursed” with the mindset that made him great.
On Tuesday, Jordan spoke to CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King about his post-NBA career as a NASCAR team owner — and how his competitive edge hasn’t faded.
“I’m a very competitive person,” Jordan said. “I think I’m cursed. I’m cursed with this competitive gene that anything that I do is from a competitive lens, you know? And in some ways it keeps me young, it keeps me aggressively thinking positively.”
Jordan said it helps him make sense of what he’s involved in, adding that everything he does has to have a competitive edge. That includes getting ready in the mornings with his wife, Yvette.
“I’ve got to get in the shower and get into the bathroom before she comes in so she doesn’t slow down my time, and I can get to the golf course in time,” Jordan said. “I’ve got to drop the kids off. I’ve got all these other things I’ve got to do.”
Still, Jordan said he views that competitive drive as a strength.
“I’m cursed. That’s just the way I am. And I try to use it in the best positive way that I can,” he said.
As for where that competitive streak comes from, Jordan said he isn’t sure. “I think that my appetite to prove as a kid created this competitive thing within me that has transcended and taken over everything that I do.”
Looking back, Jordan said he believes that mindset has helped him excel.
“I think it’s a good trait to have because some people don’t have that trait. And some people get to the, you know, get right at the cusp of what success really means, and they can never get over that hump,” he said.
Though he’s retired from basketball, Jordan has brought that same competitive streak to his role as a NASCAR team owner.
When races don’t go his way, Jordan said he treats every setback as a lesson.
“We learn. You know, any successful person has had to deal with failure at some point in time, you know. So, we don’t let it get us down,” he said. After all, it’s about getting back up and getting ready for the next one.
“So, I mean, that is a part of my DNA. I do not like losing, but I’m not afraid to lose. I learn from losing,” Jordan said.
Jordan has long been known for his intense competitive streak. Other elite athletes have similarly spoken about the mindset that helps drive their success.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has said that he overcomes performance anxiety by picturing what could go wrong.
“I say this all the time. It’s counterintuitive to a lot of people to do this, but I do,” McIlroy said. “If you’re trying to overcome anxiety or nerves around performance, I try to think about, well, what’s the worst that could happen? I’m not going to die on the golf course.”
Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, has said that her biggest competition is often herself.
“And it’s just scary because I go out and I’m like, ‘Can I do it again? Can I be this good? And can I repeat what I did last year, last time, last Olympics?’ And I feel like that’s what motivates me, is to strive to be better than I was before, because of all the doubters or even all the supporters. It’s a thrill,” Biles told Hoda Kotb in a 2021 Today interview.
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