On Sunday the 26th of January 2020, Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash. He was just 41 years old, and his 13-year-old daughter was beside him. His sudden death didn’t just shock sports fans but people all over the world.
Kobe was not only one of the greatest players of the NBA so far, but he was also known for his incredible perseverance and hard work.
His achievements were no coincidence but very well deserved. The sudden, unpredictable death of this man is thought-provoking for millions of people.
Hardly anyone appreciates the blessing of leaving home and coming back safely, but that’s probably the most valuable lesson Bryant taught us through his sudden death.
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Don’t Accept Failure
“When we are saying this cannot be accomplished, this cannot be done, then we are short-changing ourselves. My brain, it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I have to sit there and face myself and tell myself, ‘You’re a failure,’ I think that is worse, that is almost worse than death.“
Kobe Bryant was always after big wins. He didn’t accept any failures or losses. He’d rather work his ass off all day long and train harder than anybody else than lose a game. His entire life was full of sacrifices that aimed to make him better and stronger.
That’s a mentality only a few people share.
Unfortunately, most of the time, we are too comfortable with ourselves. Instead of going the extra mile, we snuggle up in our bed and watch Netflix.
It’s no wonder that there are only a bunch of highly successful people in the world. These are people who didn’t accept failures and kept going despite fear and losses. Any success, no matter if in sports, business, or whatsoever, is well deserved. Nothing ever happens by chance.
Any successful person had to make sacrifices on his journey to the top, just like Kobe Bryant did for years.
What we can learn:
Know what you are after and don’t accept failure. Have a clear vision, big goals, and a kick-ass plan on how to get there. Get rid of anything that might stand in your way and don’t even think of failing.
If you know what you are after, if you have a crystal clear vision and if you work hard enough, your success is inevitable.
Success Demands Sacrifice
“There’s a choice that we have to make as people, as individuals. If you want to be great at something, there is a choice you have to make. We can all be masters at our craft, but you have to make a choice. What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that — family time, hanging out with your friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be. There are sacrifices that come along with that.“
Right from the beginning, Kobe Bryant knew that he had to make sacrifices if he wanted to be one of the worlds’ greatest basketball players of all time. And he didn’t doubt this for a second. Throughout his whole career, he was one of the few people who exercised way more than anybody else.
Bryant knew that he had to cut off on a few things if he wanted to reach his goal, and he did so without any doubts.
What we can learn:
Know what you are after and know what you are willing to sacrifice. If you are after big wins in one area of your life, you might have to give up a few other things for some time.
Sometimes, we don’t want to accept that it takes more work than the average person is willing to put in to get to the top of a specific field. However, being among the greatest in one area never comes for free.
If you are dreaming big, you need to act big.
Every Situation Presents an Opportunity
“Everything negative — pressure, challenges — is all an opportunity for me to rise.”
Our biggest challenges can turn into our most crucial lessons in life if we let them.
Kobe Bryant never refused difficulties, but instead, he grew through them. Throughout his whole career, he faced a lot of hate and accusations, yet he managed to get through each of them and took his lessons to come back even stronger.
What we can learn:
If we want it, we can find something positive in any situation. Aiming for great success is easy, dealing with all the difficulties on the path to the top, however, might not always come with fun.
Through self-reflection, we can grow beyond ourselves and learn from our challenges and mistakes. Without continuous growth, your competition might soon overhaul you.
Inspire People to Become Better
“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.”
Bryant always focused on his achievements, yet he never forgot to be a great role model. In the last two decades, Kobe Bryant inspired millions of people all over the world. He motivated young people to chase their dreams and proved that sometimes achieving the unachievable is indeed possible.
What we can learn:
Whatever you are after, keep going and work hard, but never forget to inspire people on your way. Other people will always lead your way to success. Taking care of being a good person, being kind, motivating, and inspiring will always pay off.
We love to talk about those who inspired us, and we spread their words. Instead of being narrow-minded and selfish, share your journey with those around you, and give your best in being a person that others can look up to.
Kobe Bryant might be dead, but his legacy, his lessons and his work-ethic will stay in the minds of millions for a few more decades.
Half-Hearted Work Won’t Pay Off
“Winning takes precedence over all. There’s no gray area. No almosts.”
If you are chasing a dream, go after it with all your heart. Kobe Bryant didn’t doubt if he could make it or not, he just hustled his way up. He knew what he wanted and gave all that he had to get it.
On the way to success, there is no space for doubt. You either go all-in or you break off. Half-hearted work won’t ever lead to significant achievements.
What we can learn:
Have a clear vision and give your best, no matter what.
Nowadays, we have more options and opportunities than ever before. On the one side, that’s awesome. On the other hand, that’s the precise reason why so many people fail in trying to become the best in some areas. They struggle to focus.
They get distracted and give up once things get tough. The shiny object syndrome hits us and leads to unfocused actions that don’t lead to achievements.
Be clear about your goals, have a strong vision, and give your best to achieve it. Don’t let anyone or anything hold you back. Keep a strong focus, make winning your only option, and go.
Practice Self-Reflection Purposefully
“I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.”
Self-reflection is important. I even believe that it’s the most essential tool in personal development. Yet, it only makes sense if you have a purpose in mind.
While Kobe Bryant was working harder than anyone else, he also took the time to reflect on his wins and failures. But he never invested more time than needed.
He effectively analyzed his failures and learned his lessons to be better at the next attempt.
What we can learn:
Practice self-reflection with a purpose. Don’t just sit there, reflecting for hours without a specific goal in mind. Instead, know what you’re after and figure out how you could’ve done better.
Perform self-reflection in order to grow and learn, not just to spend time on self-reflection.
Family is Everything
“My parents are my backbone. Still are. They’re the only group that will support you if you score zero or you score 40.”
Kobe Bryant had to sacrifice a lot of time for his successes in sports. And I believe he couldn’t spend a considerable amount of time with his family during the peak times of his career. Yet, he always mentioned how important his family was for his mental strength.
What we can learn:
Having people beside us, no matter if it’s our parents, our partner, or our friends, is the greatest blessing of life. Sometimes, when we get caught up in work and career achievements, we forget about all the beautiful people and how they served us in the past.
However, in most cases, our families are the ones who always stay with us, no matter if we fail or win. Celebrating wins is excellent, yet you also need people next to you on the bad days.
Take care of your relationships. Even if you are chasing career goals, make sure to stay in touch with those who really care about you, and support you during your most difficult times.
Being Lazy Comes With a Cost
“I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.”
Kobe Bryant is a great example of someone who worked extremely hard for his successes. He never stood still, always gave his best and kept growing throughout his whole career.
What we can learn:
Well, we can be lazy, but we can’t be lazy and successful.
On average, we have 30,000 days to live on this planet. I guess that’s enough to have a fantastic time, yet it’s insufficient to waste a single day.
Why should we be lazy and snuggle up on the couch when we could instead be doing things that we are passionate about, win games, celebrate successes, travel the world, and create a legacy?
Being lazy today certainly comes with sacrifices that we have to make tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow.
Learn From the Best
“I want to learn how to become the best basketball player in the world. And if I’m going to learn that, I gotta learn from the best. Kids go to school to be doctors or lawyers, so forth, and so on, and that’s where they study. My place to study is from the best.“
Kobe Bryant always tried to learn from the best. In basketball, life, and business. He was well known for asking lots of questions and his willingness to grow every day. Once, he even asked the co-trainer of the opposite team on how he could improve his game.
What we can learn:
There’s always a way of learning from people who are more successful than yourself.
If you are after greatness, focus on learning from those who already achieved what you are desiring. Don’t listen to people who are not living a life you are aspiring to. Instead, focus on being taught by those whom you admire.
Get mentors, books, coaching programs, and anything else that you find on the subject that you want to succeed in. Consume the content of the worlds’ most successful people and grow into their way of thinking.