"If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it"
About this Quote
Then he pivots from empathy to ownership. “I’ve had them; everybody has had them” is less group hug than competitive calibration. In Jordan’s world, obstacles are the entry fee, not an excuse. He’s flattening the hierarchy between the GOAT and the rest of us only to raise the standard: if even he got blocked, your struggle doesn’t make you special - your response does.
The line that does the real work is the series of verbs: “climb it, go through it, or work around it.” It’s practical, physical, almost architectural. Jordan isn’t selling vague positivity; he’s selling problem-solving aggression. The wall is real, the body is involved, and quitting is framed as a choice rather than an inevitability.
Context matters: this comes from an athlete whose mythology includes being cut from his high school varsity team, then weaponizing that slight into obsessive practice. It’s motivational, sure, but it’s also a worldview that privileges control, effort, and adaptation. The darker edge is implied: if you stop, it’s on you. For better or worse, that’s the Jordan brand - relentless accountability packaged as possibility.
Quote Details
| Topic | Overcoming Obstacles |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Jordan, Michael. (2026, January 15). If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-youre-trying-to-achieve-there-will-be-26795/
Chicago Style
Jordan, Michael. "If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-youre-trying-to-achieve-there-will-be-26795/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-youre-trying-to-achieve-there-will-be-26795/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.








