“I might be sort of like a Michael Jordan in basketball, something like that.” These were the words of the 14-year-old Tiger Woods. It was not just his prediction, but his confidence in his command over the game. And man, was he on point? And yes, he reached the position of sharing the title of legend, of course, in golf. The duo later became close friends. But do you know how the two legendary figures became acquainted? Just by one logo! That’s right, the Swoosh. While talking to Shawn Meaike, Eric Thomas deconstructed the mindset of champions like Mike and Woods by pointing out similar patterns they follow.

Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods achieved a colossal number of accolades in their sports careers. While Mike dominated the list of high-paid athletes in the 1900s, Woods took the baton to the 2000s. Now, the interesting part is they have one common mantra! The Hip-Hop Preacher unveils the one thing that these legends have that makes them loved universally. It is their whole-hearted dedication and love for the game!

In the PICK MONEY podcast by Shawn Meaike, Eric explained, “When you fall in love with the game, the game knows you’re in love with it. And the game is gonna reward you because of the love. But if the game sees that you get an attitude every time something don’t go your way. Or if you don’t put the same energy into it because you didn’t get the results you want. Then, the game is not gonna reward you. But the game rewarded Michael Jordan ‘cuz the game knew he had no other guys before me, the game knew Mike is all in, Brady is all in, Tiger is all in, Gretzky is all in.”

The NBA legend is widely known for his intense practice routine, work ethic, and ‘never-give-up’ attitude in the face of many misses and failures. On the other side, Tiger once said, “Winning is not always the barometer of getting better.” Doesn’t this mirror MJ’s ethos? They proved that it takes much more than talent to achieve greatness.

Michael Jordan’s journey from the 10 feet high hoop to the 0.33 feet deep hole

If you follow MJ religiously, then you know how passionate he is about the golf club. And no, it’s not because he has friends in the sport. Rather. he has found solace in the serenity that the golfing environment offers. But did you know the story goes back to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona? He joined the Dream Team just so he could play golf every day. For the big man, it was his skill that brought him to basketball, whereas his heart took him to golf, and he balanced both!

His fierceness seems to extend not only to the basketball court but also to the golf course. In a hilarious recount, the former NHL defenseman Ryan Whitney recalled how he got completely owned by the Chicago Bulls legend. The great Michael Jordan won the match on 18 and started trash-talking the poor guy. But hey, at least he could brag that he played with his Airness.

“I owe my working life to basketball, and my retirement to golf, haha!” was Jordan’s words when asked if he had chosen the wrong sport in an interview. Of course, it had to be the only answer! Dedicating 19 years of your life to basketball is quite a serious commitment. But there is no end to exploring a new world. More so when you are MJ.