What Michael Jordan Teaches Us About First-Time Wins and Mental Mastery 🏀
As the NBA playoffs head into the final stretch, something quietly revolutionary is happening: for the first time ever, we had a Final Four made up of teams with no recent rings, no recent Finals appearances—just grit. The Knicks, Pacers, Timberwolves, and Thunder were all vying for what has long eluded them: their moment.
And now it’s down to two teams: The Pacers and the Thunder.
I can only imagine the mental tricks and mantras that Michael Jordan would use to lock in.
This fall, Jordan returns to the NBA spotlight in a new role—as a broadcaster for NBC’s revived NBA coverage. But before he steps back into the booth, it’s worth revisiting his legacy. Not the rings, the sneakers, or the iconic fadeaway, but the mindset that built it all.
Because if we’ve learned anything from the emergence of these four underdog teams, it’s this: tenacity, not titles, shapes greatness.
Jordan’s approach wasn’t rooted in flashy talk or even talent alone—it was an extreme mindset, forged through daily discipline. “Practice hard every day so everything works itself out on game day,” he once said. And science backs him up. According to Dr. Philippe Douyon neuroscientist, neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt and grow—is strongest when paired with focused effort and emotional intensity. That means greatness isn’t gifted. It’s built, rep by rep.
Take the Timberwolves. No Finals appearances. Ever. Yet they showed up. Or the Thunder, who haven’t sniffed this stage since 2016 and will now vie for the win. Why now? Because somewhere along the way, players, coaches, and execs committed—not just to a strategy, but to the quiet, daily grind. They stopped chasing validation and started chasing growth.
That’s what Jordan meant by competing with yourself. He wasn’t driven by public praise. “I never feared about my skills because I put in the work,” he said. The work was the reward. The work was the difference.
There’s a mental model Jordan returned to often: horse blinders. Ignore distractions.
Don’t overthink what the other team is doing. Don’t worry about who’s watching. Just play. Neuroscientists call this “attentional control”—and it’s crucial for peak performance. When athletes (and leaders) learn to filter out irrelevant stimuli, their decision-making sharpens. Their reactions quicken. Their creativity increases.
It’s also what separates high performers from the average. Jordan didn’t live in the past or fixate on the future. He anchored himself to the now. That present-moment awareness isn’t just poetic , it’s powerful.
So when Jordan says, “Why not me?”—he’s not bragging. He’s reminding us that elite performance is accessible to anyone willing to do what most won’t. Namely: show up when it’s not glamorous. Play hard when no one’s watching. Let your commitment outlast your feelings.
We’ll see how this plays out when the Thunder and Pacers face off in the Finals on Thursday, June 5.
Michael Jordan didn’t chase average. He didn’t ride the fence. And neither should we.
Whether you’re building a brand, raising capital, starting over, or launching your first Art Basel debut (hey, Jonah Batambuze 👀), the same truth applies: there will be days you don’t feel like showing up. But your commitment will.
Put on the blinders. Practice like it’s the Finals. Show up like it’s game day.
And when doubt creeps in, ask yourself:
Why not me?
🔥 This June, Mpact PR, LLC is proud to support a bold debut at Art Basel Switzerland.
📽️ The Hands of Gods by Jonah Batambuze is not just a film—it’s a ritual, a memory, a quiet rebellion. Premiering at Atelier Mondial during Art Basel week (June 18–22), this 5:54-minute looping installation challenges the lingering grip of colonialism through food, gesture, and surveillance.
Set inside the intimate act of eating with the “wrong” hand, Jonah’s work asks: What happens when the body refuses to forget?
🖤 Rooted in his Black Ugandan–South Indian household, The Hands of Gods honors the domestic as sacred, the habitual as political, and the table as a site of resistance.
📍 Part of the Wild at Art exhibition, curated by Rama Kalidindi.
🙌 This marks a powerful moment for Jonah’s evolution as a cultural architect and founder of BlindianProject—bringing Black x Brown solidarity to global art spaces.
Read press release here.
📧 For press/interviews:
jacquelinel@mpactpr.com
Partner Spotlight: Glow Stream TV’s New Financial Glow-Up Newsletter
Sign up for Glow Stream TV’s free money newsletter, “The Financial Glow-Up” for tips & advice on how to increase your wealth and make smart investments as a woman creative.
Radical Acts Challenge of the Week ✨
If you’ve been following along, Radical Acts Uncut is a podcast that dives deep into the moments when entrepreneurs, experts, and creatives faced life’s unexpected tests—and found the faith and inner strength to rise above. Catch up on S1 episodes here.
If you want to make changes in your life, you have to do new things.
This week, choose ONE small act that stretches you:
💬 A bold ask
📍 A new route
📣 A scary step you've been avoiding
Your brain—and your future—are shaped by what you do next.
✨ Save this as your weekly reminder.
👇🏾 Drop it in the comments—what’s yours?
📚 Read more about why radical acts are worth it: https://lnkd.in/eXug2z7W
Before I go, here are some resources to keep you encouraged:
Book I’m re-reading: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Podcast I’m listening to: The FitMind Podcast Neuroplasticity: The Brain's Superpower - Dr. Philippe Douyon
What I’m Watching: The NBA Playoffs, Sirens on Netflix
Quote I’m still thinking about: Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been. ~ Alan Alda
Finally, reply to this email if you’re interested in exploring partnering on a project or booking me to speak about strategic communications or creativity.