Eric Thomas Reveals How Michael Jordan’s Mindset Still Defines NBA Greatness, Just Like Tiger Woods in Golf

Michael Jordan owned the basketball court. Tiger Woods took over the golf world. Different sports, different eras, same unshakable drive. What made them legends wasn’t just talent—it was obsession. They didn’t just play their sports; they lived them. Winning wasn’t a goal. It was the only option. Motivational speaker Eric Thomas broke it down recently on the ‘PICK MONEY’ podcast with Shawn Meaike, explaining what separates guys like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods from the rest of the world. And it all comes down to one thing.

True greatness, Thomas explained, isn’t just about skill. It’s about a deep, almost spiritual connection to the game.
“When you fall in love with the game, the game knows you’re in love with it,” Thomas said. “And the game is gonna reward you because of the love. But if the game sees that you get an attitude every time something doesn’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.”

Jordan’s six championships didn’t happen because he was naturally gifted. He worked for them—every single day. He pushed himself harder than anyone, set impossible standards for his teammates, and refused to accept anything less than the best. He wasn’t just the greatest player of his era. He was the fiercest competitor the league had ever seen.
Tiger Woods brought that same mentality to golf. He changed the sport, not just because of his skill, but because of how he approached it. He played golf the way Jordan played basketball—with an all-consuming hunger to dominate.


Decades later, Jordan’s impact is still everywhere. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry—they’ve all talked about how MJ shaped their careers. But it wasn’t just the rings or the highlight reels. It was his mentality.
The way he treated every practice like Game 7. The way he came back stronger after every failure. The way he played through sickness, exhaustion, and pain because there was no other choice.
Tiger Woods once said, “Winning is not always the barometer of getting better.” That’s exactly how Jordan saw it. The work, the sacrifice, the moments no one else witnessed—that’s where greatness was built.
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Jordan and Woods didn’t just play to win—they played because they couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Their obsession, their fire, their refusal to settle—that’s what set them apart. Decades later, their blueprint still defines greatness. Every athlete chasing a legacy is walking the same path they carved. As Eric Thomas said, the game rewards those who give it everything. And Jordan and Woods gave it all.