Michael Jordan once shared his secrets to dominance: "To be the best, you gotta step on people"

MJ was ruthless in his quest to be the best.

© RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Jordan’s competitiveness is the stuff of legends. The former NBA star was known for his ruthless drive to win in everything he did. Whether it was ping-pong, golf, cards, or basketball, Jordan always tried to come out on top.

In a previous interview with his buddy Ahmad Rashad, Jordan opened up about his mindset and approach to dominating on the court. He explained that you had to do unpopular things like stepping over people to be the best at something.

Always wanting to be the best

When MJ set his eyes on something, he more often than not achieved it. He was never satisfied with being good or even great; he always wanted to be the best. And to do that, he had to make tough choices and push himself harder than anyone else.

"We train to be the best at what we do. And sometimes, to be the best, you gotta step on people," Jordan said.

"Not step on, literally, but I mean, in terms of winning and dominating."

All on you

Jordan realized later in his career that he wasn’t going to win an NBA championship by his lonesome. The improvement in his teammates' games, in particular, Scottie Pippen, helped the Bulls capture numerous titles. However, he still put the onus to be better on his shoulders, spending countless hours practicing and carrying the weight of being the best player on the team.

"We gotta rely upon our team, but that doesn't change our individual work ethic. We gotta go out and try to be the best no matter what," Jordan added.

Charles Barkley shares what he learned from Michael Jordan about playing in the NBA Finals