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FoundersOctober 23, 2021

#212 Michael Jordan: The Life

About This Episode
What I learned from reading Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby. ---- Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work. Get access to Founders Notes here. ---- [5:07] His competence was exceeded only by his confidence.[5:58] He worked at the game, and if he wasn't good at something, he had the motivation to be the best at it. [6:33] It seemed that he discovered the secret quite early in his competitive life: the more pressure he heaped on himself, the greater his ability to rise to the occasion. [14:06] At each step along his path, others would express amazement at how hard he competed. At every level, he was driven as if he were pursuing something that others couldn't see.[16:10] Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I'd close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that got me going again. [19:29] Jordan could sense immediately that he had something the others didn't. [59:53] The Jordan Rules succeeded against the Bulls so well that they became textbook for guarding athletic scorers. The scheme helped Detroit win two NBA championships, but it also helped in the long run, by forcing Jordan to find an answer. "I think that 'Jordan Rules' defense, as much as anything else, played a part in the making of Michael Jordan," Tex Winter said. [1:16:35] Jordan had been surprised to learn how lazy many of his Olympic teammates were about practice, how they were deceiving themselves about what the game required. [1:19:56] I have always liked practice and I hate to miss it. When you miss that one day, you feel like you missed a lot. You take extra work to make up for that one day. I've always been a practice player. I believe in it.[1:29:47] Jordan presented a singleness of purpose that was hard to dent. ---- Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work. Get access to Founders Notes here. ---- “I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — Gareth Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast
Book Mentions
15 book mentions in this episode.
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Books Mentioned

Michael Jordan, The Life cover

The speaker discusses the book 'Michael Jordan, The Life' by Roland Lazenby, highlighting its insights into Michael Jordan's life and competitive nature.

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The Last Dance cover

The speaker refers to a scene in 'The Last Dance' that illustrates focus and motivation, particularly in the context of Michael Jordan's experiences.

ASIN: N/A
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Four Seasons cover
Four Seasons
Izzy Sharp

The speaker mentions a line from the book by Izzy Sharp, founder of Four Seasons, discussing the capacity for taking pain in the pursuit of excellence.

ASIN: B0C9VVKMV3
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JCPenney cover

The story I tell you over and over again. I learned probably three or four years ago when I read the book. This manager JCPenney says, Hey Sam, you're not cut out for retail.

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Against the Odds cover
Against the Odds
James Dyson

The best description of this that I've ever found came from the first autobiography James Dyson wrote, 'Against the Odds', where he discusses his journey and inspirations.

ASIN: 0752809814
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Drive cover

The speaker compares the drive and commitment to excellence of Steve Jobs and Arnold Schwarzenegger while reading the book 'Drive'.

ASIN: B0032COUMC
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The Score Takes Care of Itself cover

The excerpt discusses Bill Walsh's approach to perfection and focus on the team's performance, as mentioned in his book.

ASIN: 1596703237
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Stephen King cover

The excerpt references a quote attributed to Stephen King about talent and dedication, emphasizing the importance of hard work and passion in one's craft.

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this book cover

The author just said that they sold $150 million in the first three years. Everywhere else I've read besides this book said that they sold $126 million in the first year.

ASIN: B0F7G5W32L
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Walt and Isaac's biography cover

I think in Walt and Isaac's biography says that he wanted to be.

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The Tao of Capital cover
The Tao of Capital
Mark Spitznagel

The idea that you go slow now so you can go faster later is central to the book. It discusses strategic thinking and the importance of patience in achieving long-term goals.

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Robinson Crusoe cover

The story of Robinson Crusoe is used to illustrate the idea of taking a step backwards to ultimately achieve greater success in the future.

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Jordan cover

The discussion revolves around Michael Jordan's approach to practice and how it shaped his life and career, emphasizing the importance of dedication and hard work.

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Relentless cover
Relentless
Tim Grover

Tim Grover has an audio book about what he learned from training Jordan and Kobe, called 'Relentless'. It's described as an extreme book with surprising frankness.

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Henry Singleton cover

The speaker mentions reading about Henry Singleton, the founder of Teledyne, and how it made them listen to a 60-hour audiobook.

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