For as long as I can remember I have had this burning passion for basketball. I don’t know when it started. Or how it started. I just know it has always been a part of me. Basketball gives me this peace. I may not be the best ball handler but I can guarantee you I can defend a pretty darn good one. I may not be a three point shooter but I can guarantee you I can shoot. The reason for my love for the game? One man. Watch the video below and tell me if that one man doesn’t evoke in you the need to be legendary.

Before we go any further I have to put this out there. I will not discuss and converse about the merits of Jordan’s game and Lebron’s game and who is better. They are both cut from different generations. They both make the game better. End of story. 

Michael Jordan has always made me want to be better. For instance, did you know MJ was cut from his high school basketball team, went home then locked himself up and cried? After that, he didn’t give up. He proved to his naysayers that he was something. He practiced and believed in himself. He took all those shots through his career but won those rings. He worked hard, played sick, he “pushed off” (yes, I did just reference the infamous Game 6 of the 98 Finals), and he showed Brett Favre how to unretire. And for the record, I bleed green and gold so that was not at all a diss to you Cheeseheads. Michael Jordan became legendary because he was courageous enough to not listen to the doubters and pushed on.

Mary Ann Radmacher said it best, “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says tomorrow I’ll try again.” If you haven’t figured it out, tonight I’m here to encourage you. Today has been all about encouragement and encouraging others. I am a part of this great office management team. We have been all a bit down. We have been struggling with the company we represent. I sent them an email today wanting them to be encouraged that no matter what happens we are a great team. An amazing team. I think my exact words were that we are a bloody awesome team. No matter what comes our way we always push back and stand. We always survive. We always go to bat for each other and do everything we can to encourage each other. And that is what we should be doing always – encouraging each other.

With that, tonight I ask you, how do you become legendary? How do you find the courage to continue to fall forward and be? How do you inspire yourself or others? What encouragements can you share with people to let them be the person they should and could be?

Just remember, at first it always seems to be too hard. But, look again. Always look again because what you once thought was hard always ends up being a walk in the park. Successful people have two beliefs: the present won’t be as great as the future and they have the power to make the future great. Believe in that for you. Believe that you hold the key to an amazing future. Encourage yourself and the people around you to become legendary. Michael Jordan did. Brett Favre did. Will you?