What Kobe Bryant Taught Us About Living Life

Kobe Bryant taught us a lot. One of my greatest takeaways from him was the impact one person can make when they put their entire being into something they love.

As much of the world did on January 26th, Matt and I spent our afternoon watching interviews and video clips following Kobe’s passing. Through teary eyes, I watched as ESPN played his short film, “Dear Basketball”. A sob caught in my throat as he said these words.

I played through the sweat and hurt
Not because challenge called me
But because YOU called me.
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
Kobe Bryant, “Dear Basketball”

He spoke about basketball as if it was a living, breathing being. His pure appreciation and respect for the game was so inspiring. I couldn’t help but think, if there’s something that makes you feel alive, you must respect that thing. You must take care of it. You must do everything in your power to keep doing that thing because it fuels you and the world is better place when it’s filled with people feel alive.

That’s what Kobe did.

A love so deep I gave you my all —
From my mind & body
To my spirit & soul.
Kobe Bryant, “Dear Basketball”

Not only was his love for the game inspiring, his perseverance was second to none. When he was 6-years-old, he set his sights on becoming a professional basketball player. He was determined to achieve it. When the work got too hard for other people, they’d complain and quit. Not Kobe. That’s where he thrived. Mamba Mentality! Kobe didn’t stop. He’d outwork anyone, any day.

An All-Star Human Being

Kobe was an all-star on and off the court.

He was known to send genuine words of encouragement to other players when they were hurt. When Gordon Hayward broke his ankle in 2017, Kobe offered him wisdom and support, “…It’s a long journey but if you focus on the mini milestones along the way you will find the beauty in the struggle of doing simple things that prior to this injury were taken for granted. This will also mean that when you return, you will have a new perspective. You will be so appreciative of being able to stand, walk, run that you will train harder than you ever have.”

And when Lebron James broke Kobe’s record the other night, Kobe responded with enthusiasm, “On to #2 @kingjames! Keep growing the game and charting the path for the next.”

As a staple figure in Southern California, many of my friends grew up seeing him around town. My favorite story is one Matt told me about his buddy running into Kobe at their local Subway.

It was a time before cell phones and Matt’s friend was of course excited when he saw him. He asked Kobe if he’d wait for him to skateboard home quick to get his camera so they could get a picture together. He said he’d wait. His friend skated home as quickly as he could, and when he returned, there was Kobe Bryant, eating his Subway sandwich on a bench waiting for him.

After retiring from basketball, Kobe really shifted his focus to making a difference in the lives of kids. As a father of four daughters, he got involved in supporting women’s sports and was known to attend WNBA games with his girls. He also coached his daughter’s basketball team and mentored other young players.

In addition to that, he co-founded the Mamba Sports Academy, a training facility for young athletes. My favorite endeavor of his was a podcast he created called The Punies. It was a show about a group of neighborhood friends who played sports and went on adventures together. His purpose of the podcast was to share important life lessons and the joy of playing sports with imagination.

Kobe Bryant was a special individual. In every story that’s been shared about him, the through line has been his level of character. Kind and generous, he was a true first class human being. He cared about people and genuinely wanted to make a difference in their lives. And he was. The amount of people he touched was evident by the way the world stopped on January 26th.

Embody The Mamba Mentality

I’m certain Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, didn’t wake up that morning thinking it would be their last. They were just getting started. They had so much left to give. There were so many dreams to fulfill and so many lives to touch.

Matt said it to me perfectly, “The world is a less good place without Kobe.” I agree. When we lose a person like that, we’re left with a gap that will never be filled.

When tragic things like this happen, we want to make sense of it. How could this happen? Why did this happen? I wish I knew why. I wish I knew why bad things happen to good people. I wish I knew why some people who do terrible things get to live long lives and others, who truly do good in the world, get their lives cut short.

It hurts. It’s unfair. It’s senseless. We’ll never understand why. When tragedies like this occur, we’re reminded of the fragility of life. We’re reminded how precious it is to have been given another day on earth. We’re reminded that it’s a blessing to arrive home safely. We’re reminded to hug our loved ones tighter and let stupid resentments go because life is short and we don’t know when our last day might be.

Whether or not you’re a basketball fan, I hope Kobe’s legacy inspires you to live your life in the biggest, baddest, fullest way you can. Kobe was fierce and authentic and driven. He was the image of following your passion. He showed us what happens when you demand excellence from yourself.

You don’t have to be a superstar to make a difference in the world. You can make a difference in your own little corner of the world. You can inspire people in your own way, and I hope you will. I hope you put your heart and soul into that thing you really love because it matters. We need more people who feel alive and lit up in this world. That’s what I hope we can take from this.

As we step forward into a world without Kobe Bryant, I’m making a pact to embody that Mamba Mentality. It’s a mentality of always improving yourself; being better than you were yesterday.