Over 100 Michael Jordan Quotes To Inspire And Motivate

This collection of Michael Jordan quotes includes some of his most famous words and thoughts for you to draw maximum inspiration from!

Michael Jordan – Talent Wins Games

Michael Jordan is widely considered to be the best basketball player of all time. He was a six-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, and 14-time All Star. His legacy extends beyond the basketball court, however. He is an icon and role model for millions of people around the world. No wonder then that Michael Jordan is one of the most quoted sports stars in the world!

Jordan’s success can be attributed to his incredible work ethic, dedication, and determination. He is quoted as saying, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

This is just one of the many inspirational quotes by Michael Jordan. In this article, we’ll take a look at over 100 of his quotes that will inspire and motivate you.

Inspirational Quotes by Michael Jordan

My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn’t stand the sideline.

– Michael Jordan


If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

– Michael Jordan


I will not quit this game because of what the media has done to me.

– Michael Jordan

I will not quit this game because of what the media has done to me. - Michael Jordan


I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.

– Michael Jordan


Every time I feel tired while I am exercising and training, I close my eyes to see that picture, to see that list with my name. This usually motivates me to work again.

– Michael Jordan


Gambling is legal and betting is legal, for what I bet.

– Michael Jordan


Do I need my number retired throughout the course of the league to acknowledge what I’ve done? No.

– Michael Jordan


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


Learning’s a gift, even when pain is your teacher.

– Michael Jordan

Learning’s a gift, even when pain is your teacher. - Michael Jordan


I’ve never been afraid to fail.

– Michael Jordan

I've never been afraid to fail. - Michael Jordan


Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.

– Michael Jordan

Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again. - Michael Jordan


Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you’re in a fight.

– Michael Jordan


Being Michael Jordan means acting the same as I always have.

– Michael Jordan


Not every flying hero has a cape.

– Michael Jordan

Not every flying hero has a cape. - Michael Jordan


Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.

– Michael Jordan

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. - Michael Jordan

Related: Teamwork Quotes


Michael Jordan Motivational Quotes

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.

– Michael Jordan

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. - Michael Jordan


Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.

– Michael Jordan

Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation. - Michael Jordan


Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work.

– Michael Jordan


I want to play for years.

– Michael Jordan


The key to success is failure.

– Michael Jordan

The key to success is failure. - Michael Jordan


Even when I’m old and grey, I won’t be able to play it, but I’ll still love the game.

– Michael Jordan


The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It’s been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It’s a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game.

– Michael Jordan


I Own the guy guarding me.

– Michael Jordan


I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent.

– Michael Jordan

I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent. - Michael Jordan


Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.

– Michael Jordan


In college, I never realized the opportunities available to a pro athlete. I’ve been given the chance to meet all kinds of people, to travel and expand my financial capabilities, to get ideas and learn about life, to create a world apart from basketball.

– Michael Jordan


I know the signs of scaredness.

– Michael Jordan


Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.

– Michael Jordan


I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. – Michael Jordan

– Michael Jordan


You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.

– Michael Jordan


I’m not a Twitterer, I’m not a twerker, I’m not a Facebooker, I’m not nothing. I’m old school.

– Michael Jordan


Best Michael Jordan Quotes

There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don’t believe there is only one greatest player either.

– Michael Jordan


Failure makes me work even harder.

– Michael Jordan


I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me. Failure always made me try harder next time.

– Michael Jordan


Practice like you’ve never won. Play like you’ve never lost.

– Michael Jordan

Practice like you’ve never won. Play like you’ve never lost. - Michael Jordan


I never thought a role model should be negative.

– Michael Jordan


To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don’t isolate. – Michael Jordan

– Michael Jordan


I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot … when you think about the consequences, you always think of negative results.

– Michael Jordan


If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. – Michael Jordan

– Michael Jordan


Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.

– Michael Jordan


If you quit once, it becomes a habit. Never quit!

– Michael Jordan

If you quit once, it becomes a habit. Never quit! - Michael Jordan


I want to wake up every day and do whatever comes in my mind, and not feel pressure or obligations to do anything else in my life.

– Michael Jordan


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 again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

– Michael Jordan


Enjoy every minute of life. Never second-guess life.

– Michael Jordan

Enjoy every minute of life. Never second-guess life. - Michael Jordan


I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I cannot accept not trying.

– Michael Jordan

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I cannot accept not trying. - Michael Jordan


Playing sick. That is so hard to do. It has to be a total mental challenge, as well as the physical challenge.

– Michael Jordan


Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.

– Michael Jordan


Quotes from Michael Jordan

The more you sweat in practice the less you bleed in battle.

– Michael Jordan

The more you sweat in practice the less you bleed in battle. - Michael Jordan


Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

– Michael Jordan


To be successful, you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don’t isolate.

– Michael Jordan


They don’t need a ticket to watch you sitting on a bench. They can go to your house for that.

– Michael Jordan


I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan

– Michael Jordan


It is nerve-wracking watching my kids’ games.

– Michael Jordan


I want to be the bridge to the next generation.

– Michael Jordan


The minute you get away from fundamentals–whether its proper technique, work ethic, or mental preparation–the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.

– Michael Jordan


People ask me if I could fly, I said, yeah…. for a little while.

– Michael Jordan


If you do the work, you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.

– Michael Jordan


If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.

– Michael Jordan


To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail.

– Michael Jordan


Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

– Michael Jordan


I want to be the bridge to the next generation.

– Michael Jordan


Michael Jordan Famous Quotes

The basketball court for me, during a game, is the most peaceful place I can imagine. On the basketball court, I worry about nothing. When I’m out there, no one can bother me.

– Michael Jordan


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


There’s only one Michael Jordan.

– Michael Jordan


Make It Happen.

– Michael Jordan


When I step onto the court, I don’t have to think about anything. If I have a problem off the court, I find that after I play, my mind is clearer and I can come up with a better solution. It’s like therapy. It relaxes me and allows me to solve problems.

– Michael Jordan


I would tell players to relax and never think about what’s at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, you’ve lost your focus.

– Michael Jordan


Michael Jordan Fundamentals Quote

When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals.

– Michael Jordan


Heart is what separates the good from the great.

– Michael Jordan

Heart is what separates the good from the great. - Michael Jordan


Live the moment for the moment.

– Michael Jordan

Live the moment for the moment. - Michael Jordan


In any investment, you expect to have fun and make money.

– Michael Jordan


I can’t speak for the future. I have no crystal ball.

– Michael Jordan


There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and never win titles. Most of the time, those players aren’t willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. The funny thing is, in the end, their unwillingness to sacrifice only makes individual goals more difficult to achieve. One thing I believe to the fullest is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

– Michael Jordan

Related: Best Sports Quotes


It’s a habit of mine now, noticing labels, logos, shoes.

– Michael Jordan


I’ve never lost a game, I just ran out of time.

– Michael Jordan

I’ve never lost a game, I just ran out of time. - Michael Jordan


Winning isn’t always championships.

– Michael Jordan

Winning isn’t always championships. - Michael Jordan


Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.

– Michael Jordan


All I knew is that I never wanted to be average.

– Michael Jordan

All I knew is that I never wanted to be average. - Michael Jordan


As athletes, we’re used to reacting quickly. Here, it’s ‘come, stop, come, stop.’ There’s a lot of downtime. That’s the toughest part of the day.

– Michael Jordan


My challenge when I came back was to face the young talent, dissect their games, and show them maybe that they needed to learn more about the game than just the money aspect.

– Michael Jordan


Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.

– Michael Jordan


It’s hard to say if the NBA is hurt by the influx of younger players, but it’s definitely impacted the league.

– Michael Jordan


I realize that I’m black, but I like to be viewed as a person, and this is everybody’s wish.

– Michael Jordan


Heart is what separates the good from the great.

– Michael Jordan


What are Michael Jordan’s values?

Michael Jordan values hard work, determination, and focus. He also believes in teamwork and sacrifice for the greater good.

How is Michael Jordan an inspiration?

Michael Jordan is an inspiration because of his determination and focus. He worked hard to be the best player he could be, and he never gave up. He also knows how to win and lose with grace.


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