Diving into the lessons and stories from the career and life of Kobe Bryant
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1:10  - The Mamba Mentality

"If you see me in a fight with a bear, prey for the bear". I've always loved that quote. That's "mamba mentality" we don't quit, we don't cower, we don't run. We endure and conquer.

2:40 - Three Stories on Self-Belief

Kobe had dreams of making it to the NBA and a counselor told him, “Only one in a million make it to the NBA so you have to plan on a future other than basketball.” Kobe responded,

"I’m going to be that one in a million."

5:05  - Obsession

“I wanted you to know  that it doesn’t matter how hard you work, I’m willing to work harder than you.” - Kobe to Jay Willaims 

8:45 - Focus

A reporter asked Kobe about what he would do during the 1999 summer after the season,

"Basketball. There is nothing else."

10:15  - What is the Mamba Mentality

The most important thing about it is curiosity…do you have a curiosity to learn more. It’s not good enough to just understand that something worked or didn’t work, but you have to understand why it worked and why it didn’t work.


16:30 - What Does Losing Mean to You?

It’s exciting because it means you have different ways to get better.


17:50 - What’s your definition of Greatness? 

To inspire people next to you

22:00 - Non-negotiables 

I don’t negotiate with myself…when I told myself you know at 13 that I want to be one of the greatest to ever play, that's the deal I made. I shook hands with myself. That is the deal, that is the contract that is non-negotiable. I don't wake up three years from now and say oh you know this really hurts. I don't want nope uh-uh i don't negotiate with myself in that regard.

One Final Note

High school’s teacher advice to kobe,

“Rest at the end, not in the middle.” 

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Check out my new book Chasing Greatness: Timeless Stories on the Pursuit of Excellence

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Resouces

Books
The Rise
ShowBoat

Interviews
Lewis Howes and Kobe Bryant
Danny Morrell and Kobe Bryant
Alex Rodriguez and Big Cat Interview Kobe Bryant - The Corp
Jay Shetty and Kobe Bryant