What Jordan’s Legacy and The Last Dance Teach Us About Change
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” - Michael Jordan
Who else rewatched The Last Dance when it dropped on Netflix? As a basketball or Bulls’ fan in the 90’s, it’s hard not to be overcome by nostalgia when you see Jordan hit any of his legendary game-winning shots. But when examined closely, the docuseries is much more than just an ode to the best basketball player of all time (yes, we believe this to be undisputed). It’s a story about organizational greatness, and the teamwork, resilience, and passion required to achieve it. How does it apply to our lives today, personally and professionally?
1. Teamwork
If we were to record a time lapse of Bulls players from 91–99, you’d get all sorts of different shapes, sizes, races, and backgrounds. From Rodman to Kukoc, the team represented a diverse mix of mentalities and approaches to the game. Phil Jackson was able to unite all of them together through a common understanding by leveraging the spiritual teachings of ancient Native American culture.
One of the key tenets was remembering that the individual is just as important as the team. Along with celebrating Rodman’s eccentricities and establishing a culture of empathy and respect, he was able to bring the best out of Jordan as a player-coach.
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”
You can be an independent contributor and still lead from the front. Michael was more than just the best player of all time, he was also a mentor to his teammates. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have help. An all-star team with Pippen as #2, along with enablers like Reinsdorf and Krause, was able to turn their trajectory around. Which brings me to the second point.
2. Resilience
Jordan’s humble roots of being infamously cut from the team during his freshman year and then rising to stardom serve as a good representation of not only his, but his team’s, tenacity. I believe that much of their perseverance came from hitting rock bottom multiple times. They lost a lot before they won. That made them impervious to failure. Don’t get me wrong, they wanted to win, but were no longer afraid of losing.
“Why would I think about missing a shot I haven’t taken?”
We see the tip of the iceberg filled with trophies, smiles, and seemingly effortless performances. But beneath the surface lies all the years of blood (especially when we think of Detroit), sweat, and tears. Those are experienced by people, not organizations. When it comes to facilitating change, humans are the lifeblood of what makes good teams great. Let’s not forget that. Given that we are naturally resistant to change, that is truly one of the hardest pieces of the value equation to solve for.
3. Passion
In many of the instances that Jordan discusses passion, he focuses on his love for the game. An unrelenting desire to play and be connected. The insight? Treat it like a game and you’ll win.
Michael wasn’t worried about getting subbed out or being ridiculed. All he cared about was winning, competing, and having fun. As Bill Wennington quipped, Jordan would play poker for pennies just to be able to say that he beat his friends.
Whether it’s in sport or business, we must remember that at the end of the day, it’s all just friendly competition. Life is a game. When you lose, you can hit restart and try again. Maybe it’ll even save at your last checkpoint. As long as you keep playing until you win.
“Winning has a price. And leadership has a price.”
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“He Kept Going When No One Was Watching — And That Changed Everything”
No one ever noticed the days he almost gave up. There were no messages asking if he was okay. No one wondered why he became quieter. No one asked how much effort it took just to keep going. To the world, he was just another ordinary man. His name was Ayaan. Ayaan’s life didn’t collapse in one dramatic moment. It slowly faded. Missed opportunities. Rejected ideas. Silent disappointments. Every failure was small, but together they became heavy. He had dreams once. Big ones. Dreams that kept him awake at night, imagining a future where his hard work would finally matter. But over time, those dreams began to feel unrealistic—almost embarrassing. People around him seemed to move forward effortlessly. They celebrated promotions, achievements, and milestones. Ayaan watched from the side, smiling politely while feeling invisible. At work, his efforts were ignored. Among friends, his voice faded. At home, expectations weighed heavily on him. Slowly, a dangerous thought settled into his mind: “Maybe I’m not good enough.” That thought followed him everywhere. It followed him on crowded buses. It followed him into sleepless nights. It followed him every time he tried again and failed. One night, after scrolling through endless success stories online, Ayaan closed his phone and stared at the dark ceiling. His chest felt tight, not because of pain—but because of exhaustion. He whispered quietly, “How long do I keep trying?” There was no answer. But that night, Ayaan made a decision—not a loud one, not a confident one. A tired decision. He decided to keep going, even if nothing changed. The next morning felt the same. The same routine. The same doubts. The same fear of wasting his life. But Ayaan showed up anyway. He worked when no one praised him. He studied when no one guided him. He practiced when no one believed in him. Some days, motivation disappeared completely. On those days, discipline took over. He reminded himself: “I don’t need applause. I need progress.” Weeks passed. Nothing dramatic happened. No sudden success. No recognition. No miracle. But something subtle began to shift. Ayaan became calmer under pressure. He learned to sit with discomfort instead of running from it. He stopped comparing his journey to others. The silence that once scared him now became his training ground. Months later, a serious problem appeared at his workplace. It was complicated, risky, and easy to blame on someone else. Most people avoided it. Some pretended it wasn’t their responsibility. Ayaan didn’t announce himself. He didn’t seek attention. He simply started working. Late nights. Mistakes. Corrections. Learning. There were moments he wanted to quit. Moments when fear whispered, “You’re not ready.” But he answered back, “I’ll learn.” Slowly, the problem began to disappear. Not perfectly—but steadily. People noticed, quietly. One afternoon, his manager called him into the office. Ayaan expected criticism. Instead, he heard a question that stunned him: “Where did you learn all this?” Ayaan paused. How could he explain years of silent effort? How could he explain working when no one cared? He simply replied, “I kept going.” That moment didn’t change his life overnight. He didn’t become famous. He didn’t suddenly become successful. But it changed something far more important. His belief in himself. For the first time, Ayaan understood that life doesn’t always reward effort immediately. Sometimes, it watches. It watches who continues without praise. Who improves without recognition. Who grows in silence. Years later, Ayaan looked back at the version of himself who almost quit. The man who felt invisible. The man who thought no one was watching. And he smiled. Because he finally understood the truth: Life was always watching. Not to judge. Not to rush. But to see if he would keep going when it was hardest. The world doesn’t reward those who only work when they’re seen. It rewards those who build strength in silence. And sometimes, the moment that changes everything doesn’t come with applause. It comes quietly. After patience. After effort. After consistency. That is when everything finally begins to change. Final Message Keep going—even when no one is watching. Especially then.
By Inayat khan4 days ago in Motivation
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