Shaquille O'Neal is one of the biggest names in the world of sports. The dominant center put together a Hall of Fame career in the NBA, and he's remained a prominent figure thanks to his sports media and business ventures since his retirement.
It's safe to say that it will be a long time before folks forget about Shaq. According to the man himself, that's because he uses his jealousy of other people to motivate him to achieve more than them.
O'Neal reveals the surprising key to his success
The legendary big man was dominant on the court during his time in the NBA, but there were some things that he couldn't do. Shooting jumpers, for example, wasn't a part of his game, and he was jealous of other guys who could hit their jump shots consistently.
Using that as a springboard, Big Aristotle noted how his jealousy fueled him to excel. Looking at guys like Stephen Curry and LeBron James , O'Neal highlighted how his envy of their accomplishments motivates him to keep working hard, even in his post-NBA career.
"Ever since a youngster, jealousy motivates me," O'Neal said on The Draymond Green Show (20:20). "I'm jealous of Steph Curry, I wish I could f***ing shoot like that. I'm jealous of Klay (Thompson), I wish my jumpshot was that motherf***ing pretty. I'm jealous of 'Bron, he's almost a billionaire, I'm not. Instead of taking that jealousy and turning it into hate, it turns into motivation."
"So I'm walking down Hollywood Boulevard, and I'm like, 'How the f*** does Elvis (Presley), who's been dead for six years, still make money?' Now I start studying…And this is towards the end of Shaq, and you know how it is towards the end, them motherf***ers act like they forget who you are. I'm like, 'You know what? F*** that. I want to live forever.'...I did my research and I met with two companies and I was like, 'Hey, this is who I am, this is what I've built…Would you be interested in doing a partnership with us?'" O'Neal added.
Related: Jayson Tatum after spotting 77-year-old Mike Krzyzewski hitting the bench press: "He is an animal"
Shaq is still grinding, even in his post-playing days
Big Diesel is certainly one of the most well-known sports figures in the world, and that's not by pure coincidence. Not only was he a star on the court, but he also learned how to market himself, which has led to all his off-court success.
It's interesting to hear that jealousy plays such a big role in O'Neal's motivation process because, typically, envy isn't exactly considered a positive trait. He's not necessarily justifying it but showing how he manages to turn it into a positive.
Given everything Shaq has accomplished, you can't exactly argue with the results either. And yet, he's still looking to do more and more, as he's fueled by all the other great things his peers are doing.
It may not be the most relatable mindset, but it has certainly worked out quite well for O'Neal. And given how pretty much anything seems to motivate him, folks shouldn't expect him to slow down anytime soon.
Related: Richard Jefferson on how impactful Shaquille O'Neal was: "Shaq got so many subpar bigs paid because you needed them on your roster"
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