MJ's secret weapon

NGMI

There is no single acronym that motivates me more than this one.

“Not gonna make it”

It’s pretty common on X and you’ll see posts by big accounts touting the reasons smaller creators are NGMI.

Every time I hear it, I get a fire in my belly. I have to prove them wrong.

But I didn’t always have this mindset.

When I was 12, my dad and I were working on this house remodeling job over the summer.

Dad was kneeling on the ground next to this house, wiring up an outside receptacle in the shade of an oak tree while I handed him tools, wiping the sweat from my eyes.

Dad: “Do you want to know how to wire up this receptacle?”

Me: “Sure.”

Dad: “Well, you’re actually too young to understand it, so I’ll have to show you when you’re older.”

Me: “Ok”

Dad: “That’s the wrong answer! You’re supposed to say ‘I’m not too young! Show me how, Dad!’”

Point taken!

And, I think about this often.

Every single time someone has referenced either my age, skill level, or qualifications as a reason why I can’t do something, I think of Dad. And I use that as motivation to prove them wrong.

Psychology calls this Oppositional Motivation. And Michael Jordan based his whole career on it.

If you watched his documentary The Last Dance, MJ took things personally if something offended or upset him SOO many times!

Whether he was robbed of the MVP, compared with another player, or was trash-talked, MJ always used it as motivational fuel.

So, next time you hear NGMI, remember: those jiveturkeys don’t know what you are capable of.

You have to show them.

So get out there and show them.

Swanagan