First of all, a big warm welcome to all my “Biking the Appian Way” subscribers who have joined us over here at Ithaka. It’s a great way to start the New Year, and I’m excited to have you along!

I don’t know about you, but it feels to me like 2024 is starting out with several dumpster fires. I hope we can bring out the best in ourselves and each other. (That’s the main reason I write this!) We’re gonna need it.

The “Breakfast Club” Secret to Success

A teenage boy tried out for Varsity Basketball and didn’t make it.

He tried and failed again as a sophomore.

He was a strong player, but he was a little bit shorter than most of his fellow athletes. He didn’t make varsity until his junior year.

Who would have imagined he would go on to become one of the best-known names in basketball?

This young athlete was Michael Jordan, and his rise was meteoric.

But when you know his secret, his rise seems inevitable. There’s a lot to learn from it.

The Breakfast Club

Jordan was famous for his work ethic, and the best way to understand it is to look at his documented workouts as a professional.

During his years on the Chicago Bulls, Michael had a tradition known as the “Breakfast Club.” His coach and a few team members would meet every morning, sometimes a 5 am or even earlier, for a grueling workout.

They called these meetings the “Breakfast Club,” because you weren’t allowed to have breakfast until you finished your workout. This whole experience was in addition to whatever training their coaches put them through on the courts during team practice.

The Breakfast Club met on weekends, holidays, and even game days. (I’m writing this at 9:26 pm on New Year’s Eve. I’m feeling inspired by the consistency of the Breakfast Club!)

After every game or practice, Jordan would stay out on the courts for a bit of extra training. He often wouldn’t hit the showers until he had made 100 shots in a row from various spots on the courts.

At first glance, his secret seems to be that he worked harder than anyone else. That’s enough to get you anywhere, but there’s still a missing “X” factor that explains how and why he was able to work so hard.

Do what others won’t?

Michael Jordan seems to live by the words of another great athlete, Jerry Rice: “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.”

But it’s not quite that simple.

We’re beginning to see a well-deserved backlash against the 4 am workout, ice bath, pain-loving gym bro. It turns out self-care and mental health need just as much attention.

But is there a way to be exceptional without breaking yourself?

I think there is.

The key to your superpowers

When people talk about Michael Jordan, they often forget what drove him to such hard work: He loved basketball.

He wasn’t driving himself like a slave, he was chasing his passion.

The real question to ask yourself is, “What do you love to do that most people won’t do?”

Here are a few of mine to get you started:

• Play an instrument

• Practice a martial art

• Read avidly in a lot of obscure subjects

• Write daily

• Ride a bike where most people would drive

I’ve also been known to sell everything and start over in a brand new city, state, or country.

Now, make a list of yours. These are your true superpowers.

If you focus on any one of these things, within a year you’ll be among the best 20% in the world.

Why?

Because you love it enough to put more energy into it than most people would ever want to.

Now, it’s true that the trick is to do things that most people won’t.

But the real secret is to be a part of the lunatic fringe. Find something you love with a level of intensity that most people don’t want.

What are your superpowers?