Failure Isn't Failure....

Few phobias in basketball are more widespread than the fear of failure.  But what is failure?

We’ll use Michael Jordan as an example.  The only things we remember about Jordan are his accomplishments:  

1981 Breaks record at McDonald's All-American game by scoring 30 points

1982 Scores winning points in NCAA championship game

1984 Named college Player of the Year

1984 Wins Olympic gold medal with U.S. basketball team

1985 Named NBA Rookie of the Year

1986-87 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1987 Winner, Slam Dunk Contest

1987-88 Named NBA Most Valuable Player

1987-88 Named NBA Defensive Player of the Year

1987-88 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1987-88 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1988 Wins Slam Dunk Contest

1988 Named NBA Most Valuable Player

1988 Named NBA All-Star Games Most Valuable Player

1988-89 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1988-89 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1989-90 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1989-90 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1990-91 Named NBA Most Valuable Player

1990-91 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1990-91 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1991 Leads Chicago Bulls to their first NBA title

1991-92 Named NBA Most Valuable Player

1991-92 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1991-92 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1992 Wins Olympic gold medal with U.S. basketball team

1992-93 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1992-93 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1995-96 Named NBA Most Valuable Player

1995-96 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1995-96 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1996 Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History

1996 Named NBA All-Star Games Most Valuable Player

1996-97 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1996-97 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1997-98 Named NBA Most Valuable Player

1997-98 Named to the All-NBA First Team

1997-98 Named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team

1998 Named NBA All-Star Games Most Valuable Player

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, I've lost almost 300 games.  Twenty six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.  I've failed over and over and over in my life.  And that's why I succeed!"

-Michael Jordan

So many successful athletes (and people) have had a hard road up the mountain of success.  All you see in the press are the accolades they've received.  The press very rarely writes about the problems they have faced getting there.  

Bruce Bowen is another example of a player getting past their failures.  Bowen wasn’t even drafted out of college, yet he is called upon to guard Kobe, Dirk, D-Wade, Steve Nash and LeBron.  How successful has he been?  He has three championship rings and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team for the past five seasons.

These are good examples to keep in mind when you see the barriers to your own success….

If you're doing anything worthwhile at all, you'll suffer a dozen failures before you figure out how to make it succeed.

Get past failing so you can start succeeding.

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