4 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Be Relentless Like Michael Jordan Michael Jordan's success offers valuable lessons about entrepreneurship.
By Kimanzi Constable Edited by Frances Dodds
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Tim S. Grover, known for his work with elite champions, wrote a book aptly titled Relentless, chronicling his training career and how he took legends like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and others, from good to great to unstoppable.
In the book, Grover describes the workout regimen, both physical and mental, that he helped Michael Jordan implement over the 15 years they worked together. Relentless is a fitting description of the early mornings, late nights, and hardworking mindset of Michael Jordan.
With the release of ESPN's "The Last Dance" documentary, we have an even better telling of Michael Jordan's story and what made him one of the greatest basketball players of all time. We got to see why Michael Jordan was a relentless competitor on and off the court.
Related: 12 Motivational Quotes From Michael Jordan
This glimpse into greatness gives success-focused entrepreneurs a vivid picture of how mindset can help us accomplish our goals and put in the work that helps us become the best versions of ourselves in life and business.
Here are four ways to create a relentless mindset, like Michael Jordan, that helps you build your business:
Invest time and resources into more self-awareness
"The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals, and you can't let yourself be beat because of lack of effort." — Michael Jordan
The focus of "The Last Dance" documentary is on the Bulls' 1997-1998 season. However, the first episode examines Jordan's early days, starting with his freshman college season. UNC head coach Dean Smith said Jordan was "inconsistent as a freshman, but the teenager's work ethic still stood out. He was one of the most competitive [players] we've ever had in our drills."
Michael Jordan may not have been the best. Still, he invested himself through consistent practice, a willingness always to learn, and a mindset that pushed him to be better.
Knowing yourself is a crucial part of the success equation. If you don't understand what makes you tick, you won't know whether to push or rest. You will listen to your limiting beliefs, thinking they're the truth, because you don't know when to call yourself out.
Without strong self-awareness, you won't know what path to follow in each of your goals. You won't know which tripwires to avoid and what helps you overcome moments of challenge.
Invest time into learning more about you and garnering a greater appreciation for your individuality. Talk to mental health professionals, hire coaches, watch videos, read books, listen to podcasts, read articles, and make your self-awareness a Ph.D. level pursuit.
Related: This Is How You Become the Michael Jordan of What Matters to You
You are your most significant project. Take yourself seriously and learn more about yourself because it's one key to being successful.
Commit to making consistency your only option
"I'm not out there, sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat." — Michael Jordan
Tim Grover describes his game-day training routine for Jordan in his book. He says that often, Jordan would be halfway done with the routine by the time Grover arrived at the agreed-upon time to start.
A relentless mindset happens with consistent action and a daily commitment to healthy habits. But, here's the thing, consistency has to be long term. This can't be something you do while it feels good, and everything is going as planned.
A relentless mindset means that being consistent is the only option you'll give yourself — no matter what life throws at you. You wake up early (or find time throughout the day) to exercise. You make healthy nutrition choices that give you the energy you'll need to push harder. You plan out your days, weeks, and months based on your goals. You stay away from things you know will sabotage your progress.
You do these things day in, day out, and make it your lifestyle instead of things "you're trying" to change. You are relentless in your commitment to consistency.
Treat yourself like you're always in the honeymoon phase.
"Being Michael Jordan means acting the same as I always have." – Michael Jordan
"The Last Dance" documentary showed us who Jordan was, and how he stayed true to whom he believed that person to be. Despite the media attention, demands of fans, and pressure to always be the best, he did what was right for him. He put himself first.
You may have consumed content on self-care, but consuming and implementing are two very different things. Taking good care of yourself gives you fuel and mental bandwidth to create a relentless mindset.
You should treat your relationship with yourself like you're in the honeymoon phase of a new relationship — it's when you are on your best behavior and savor every single experience.
Related: Michael Jordan's Top 7 Rules for Success
Your pursuit of success should be a day in and day out honeymoon phase experience. It should be you taking care of yourself first and foremost. This means showing up powerful through consistent self-care routines. You can't be the "always-on" entrepreneur.
Never stop doing the things that make you feel good about who you are, what you can accomplish, and what's possible in your business. A relentless mindset comes from a place of relentlessly putting yourself first and then expanding to help others.
Level up in more than words.
"My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength." – Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan chose to level up every opportunity he got. Today, he's the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets NBA team. Jordan is a high achiever that continues to put in the work that creates success.
Creating a relentless mindset means you level up in every area of your life. It's not something you post about on social media. It's a shift in what you'll accept as a part of your journey to be the most successful version of you.
You set boundaries with everyone in your life and don't let anyone cross them. You only associate with high-level achieving entrepreneurs that crave growth as much as you. You do regular reviews of your routines and habits to make sure you're on track to accomplish your goals. You maintain an accountability structure and partners.
You work hard in silence and let your results do the talking. You're committed to a lifetime of learning because you understand an expert is always a student.
Relentless leveling up means you refuse to settle, you don't entertain mediocrity, and you never stop because success is not an end destination.
Be Relentless
The success in business you seek lies in the mindset you're cultivating. Make your journey to success more than lipservice. Use these four strategies to build a relentless mindset and claim the life and business you want.
