The Secret To Becoming The Best?

Michael Jordan literally had “love of the game” written into his contract.

What’s the secret to becoming the best?

Michael Jordan might have given us the answer decades ago.

He had what became known as the “Love of the Game Clause.”

It allowed him to play basketball outside of official Chicago Bulls games.

And his explanation for it was beautiful.

If he was driving down the street, saw people playing basketball somewhere and wanted to join them…

he wanted to be able to play.

Think about that.

This was Michael Jordan.

Basketball was already his job.

He trained constantly.

He played an 82-game NBA season.

He competed for championships.

And apparently, that still wasn’t enough basketball.

Because he didn’t just love winning.

He loved the game.

And then there’s Lionel Messi.

Argentina had just lost the 2026 World Cup Final.

One of the most painful defeats imaginable.

Less than a week later, Messi was spotted at a football match back home in Argentina.

Not Champions League.

Not Premier League.

Not even Argentina’s first division.

Fourth division.

Hoodie on. Mate in hand.

Watching football.

And I think there’s something incredibly important in these two stories.

The greatest don’t just love being great.

They don’t just love trophies.

They don’t just love money, attention or winning.

They love the game itself.

And that might be the biggest competitive advantage you can have.

Because when you truly love the game…

You naturally put in more reps.

You think about it when nobody asks you to.

You study other people.

You experiment.

You obsess over tiny details.

You keep going long after other people get bored.

From the outside, that looks like incredible discipline.

But to you?

You’re just playing the game you love.

So maybe the question isn’t:

“How do I become the best?”

Maybe the better question is:

“What game do I love enough to keep playing for the next 20 years?”

Find that game.

Then play it for a very, very long time.

You’ll become incredibly hard to beat.