Every once in a rare while, a player with incredible capabilities comes along and lights up the world with his or her magical talent. The NBA courts until recently, had Kobe Bryant filling those shoes. And, while Kobe’s exploits may have made you bet on basketball, his stunts out of the basketball court were just as mesmerizing.
Here are three lessons that the world has learnt from his impressive career as well as his life outside the precinct of playing basketball.
On Staying Motivated
Kobe once quipped that he cannot relate to lazy people, adding that him and lazy people do not speak the same language. This belief defined his work ethic, which included a regimen that pushed him to keep improving.
The late star athlete’s discipline can be traced for as early as his high school days. Both coaches and former teammates recount how Kobe would start his training as early as 5:00 a.m. each day and go on to train for several hours.
Kobe, however, was not all play. Before the grueling workout sessions, the 2008 NBA MVP enjoyed hours studying film.
On Subduing Fear and Handling Pressure
The late star believed that every negative incident, either borne of pressure or regular challenges, was an opportunity to excel. Where most people will crumble when faced with the fear of failing in an undertaking, Kobe pushed himself every time he wanted better results.
Even after winning titles and breaking numerous records, the basketball legend believed that the sky was not the limit. Often, he strived to beat whatever records he had set. This probably is the reason why he won the NBA championship five times and became the NBA All-Star Game’s MVP four times. He also made the All-NBA first team an impressive eleven times.
On Persistence
Kobe once said that his brain cannot process failure. Sitting down, facing himself and admitting that he is a failure, the star admitted, is worse than death. The key tenet guiding his Mamba Mentality is how to rise above the challenges that life throws around.
In the 20 years that he played professional basketball, Kobe sustained injuries in his ankles, shoulders, and wrists. How he played through these injuries and the pain that came with them inspired many of his followers to believe in the impossible. He once tore his Achilles in 2013 while playing against the Golden State Warriors and instead of stepping out, was able to slog to the free-throw line and converted both throws before retreating to the dressing room. Such incidences were regular phenomena until the star retired in 2016.
Kobe’s life and career inspired many. May his soul rest in peace.
