One of the most famous stories in sports history is Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team. As a sophomore at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team but didn’t make the cut. His coach believed Jordan needed more development and placed him on the junior varsity team instead.

Rather than being discouraged, Jordan used this setback as motivation. He worked tirelessly to improve his skills, pushing himself harder in every practice and game. His perseverance paid off, as he not only made the varsity team the following year but eventually became one of the greatest basketball players in history. This story is a testament to how failure can fuel determination and lead to extraordinary success. Jordan himself has said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”