"Mamba Mentality is all about focusing on the process and trusting in the hard work when it matters most." — Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant was one of the most accomplished athletes of his generation. He won five NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVP awards, two Olympic gold medals, and an NBA regular season MVP award. His success was built off hard work, dedication, and persistence.
Later in his career, Bryant created the Mamba Mentality, which described his approach to basketball and business. The Mamba Mentality is a mindset that is all about pushing yourself to be your best, no matter what. It is about being obsessed with your craft and never giving up on your goals.
In his book, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, Bryant said:
"The mindset isn't about seeking a result — it's more about the process of getting to that result. It's about the journey and the approach. It's a way of life. I do think that it's important, in all endeavors, to have that mentality."
Although it is easy to think that Bryant's talent was God-given and that you cannot have similar success in your career, that is certainly not true. The Mamba Mentality applies to everyone.
Below are 11 things to take away from Kobe Bryant's Mamba Mentality, along with suggestions on how to apply them in your career or profession today:
1. Maintain a commitment to hard work and excellence. Kobe's commitment to excellence was laser-like. His work ethic was unmatched by his peers, and he refused to leave anything to chance. "Without studying, preparation, and practice," he said, "you leave the outcome to fate. I don't do fate."
How to practice it: To practice this mentality, try to eliminate distractions and surround yourself with colleagues who share your dedication to hard work. You can achieve excellence in your career by staying focused and committed to your goals.
2. Always stay curious: During his playing career, Kobe Bryant was known for seeking advice from legendary athletes such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Even after retiring from the NBA, Kobe continued to reach out to great minds like Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, and JK Rowling. In an interview with Bloomberg Business, Kobe shared his approach to learning from others:
“I’ll just cold call people and pick their brains about stuff. Some of the questions that I ask will seem really, really simple and stupid, quite honestly, for them. But if I don’t know, I don’t know. You have to ask. I’ll just do that. I’ll just ask questions, and I want to know more about how they build their business and how they run their companies, and how they see the world.
We can all learn from Kobe’s curious nature. Curiosity in the workplace has been shown to lead to greater innovation, better communication, and improved team performance. By embracing our inner curiosity and being willing to ask questions and learn from others, we can have richer career experiences.
How to practice it: While most people may not have direct access to an executive at their company, there are still many ways to cultivate curiosity and learn from others. One approach is to reach out to someone you respect on your team and ask for their insights on problem-solving. Another strategy is to be open to new ways of doing things and actively seek opportunities to learn and grow. Additionally, actively listening to and observing others can provide valuable insights and help you learn from their experiences. You may be surprised at how much you can learn and grow your curiosity by taking these steps.
3. Be authentic. As a younger athlete, Kobe was very concerned about his image and how others perceived him. However, as he got older, he realized authenticity was more important than trying to please everyone.
In his book, Bryant said, "As I became more experienced, I realized, no matter what, people are going to like you or not like you. So be authentic and let them like you or not for who you actually are."
Being authentic in the workplace is often challenging. We may fear being judged or rejected if we show our true selves. However, being authentic will lead to happiness and satisfaction in our work. When we are authentic, we are more likely to be engaged and to do our best work.
How to practice it: It is important to know your inner self and understand your strengths and weaknesses. Do not be afraid to express your ideas in your own words and communicate openly and honestly. Accepting yourself for who you are and letting your unique voice shine through allows you to find happiness and satisfaction in your work.
4. Share your knowledge. One of the best ways to encourage others to be their best is to share the knowledge you have gained through your career. Kobe Bryant was a great basketball player because he worked hard and was always willing to learn from others. He also understood the importance of giving back and often advised younger players.
In an interview, Bryant said, "The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they do."
How to practice it: Consider mentoring a younger colleague or volunteering to train others in your expertise. You could also organize a lunch-and-learn session at your workplace to share your insights and experiences with your colleagues. Another way to share your expertise is by writing articles or blog posts about your work and sharing them with others. You can positively impact their careers by sharing your knowledge and helping others learn and grow.
5. Pay attention to the details. Kobe Bryant was known for his meticulous attention to detail. He had a keen eye for noticing things other athletes might overlook, and he used this to his advantage. In an interview with the New York Times, Kobe shared an example of how he applied this attention to detail to improve his game:
“When you watch me shoot my fadeaway jumper, you’ll notice my leg is always extended. I had problems making that shot in the past. It’s tough. So, one day I’m watching the Discovery Channel and see a cheetah hunting. When the cheetah runs, its tail always gives it balance, even if it’s cutting a sharp angle. And that’s when I was like: My leg could be the tail, right?”
This level of attention to detail helped Kobe become one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
How to practice it: When working with numbers, it is important to double-check them for accuracy. Similarly, when reviewing documents, consider consistency, especially in formatting. Make quality a priority in everything you do. Additionally, try to limit multitasking as much as possible. You may be surprised at how focusing on one task at a time can help you pay closer attention to the details and produce higher-quality work.
6. Every day is a competition with yourself. In his 2016 Mamba Mentality Tour in the Philippines, Kobe Bryant said, "To sum up what Mamba Mentality is, it means to be able to try to be the best version of yourself constantly. That is what the mentality is. It's a constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday."
This mentality applies to our professional careers as well. We should all strive for daily progress in our work. Aspiring for anything less than daily progress is cheating ourselves, contrary to the Mamba Mentality.
How to practice it: Make it a habit to read something new every day. Set realistic daily goals for yourself and monitor your progress. Keep a journal to record new ideas and thoughts that come to you throughout the day. You can embody the Mamba Mentality professionally by consistently striving for improvement and personal growth.
7. Live your passion. In an interview with the USC Sports Science Institute, Kobe Bryant was asked when he first began to play basketball. He explained that he was born to play basketball, and his film Dear Basketball expressed his passion for the sport. He added:
“That’s the trick, isn’t it? It’s finding what you love to do. We talk about hard work all the time……If you have to get up every single morning to remind yourself how hard you need to work; you probably need to choose a different profession.”
Not everyone can live their passion full-time like Kobe Bryant, but that does not mean you cannot pursue it alongside your day job. Many people find that pursuing their passion in parallel with their day job is a great way to build skills, experience, and a network that can help them make their passion their full-time career.
How to practice it: Take the time to identify and document your strengths and what you excel at. Focus on building upon these strengths and investing in yourself. Pursue activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. You can achieve personal growth and success by following your passion and staying true to yourself.
8. Develop empathy. Early in his career, Kobe Bryant was not the best teammate. He was focused on his success and did not always consider the needs of his teammates. He even acknowledged this in an appearance at the USC Sports Science Institute:
“As a young kid, when I came into the league, it was like, I’m driving this way, and either you’re going to be on the train or be on the track. There was no such thing as understanding that people have lives outside of the game……If I understood that at an early age, it helps me as a leader to communicate better. I came to understand that later, getting to know people on a personal level.”
However, as he matured, Kobe realized that empathy was critical to great leadership. He started to get to know his teammates personally and understand their needs. This helped him to become a better leader and teammate.
How to practice it: To practice empathy, it is important to build trust with your team members and master the art of active listening. This involves acknowledging their feelings, paying attention to nonverbal communication, and asking questions to understand their perspectives better. You can become a more empathetic and effective leader by getting to know your teammates personally and considering their needs.
9. Handle adversity with resilience. On April 12, 2013, Kobe Bryant suffered a devastating Achilles tendon tear. This was his first major basketball injury. According to Kobe, his Achilles injury was his personal Mount Everest.
Kobe could have easily retired from basketball after such a serious injury. However, he was determined to return to the court. He embraced the challenge of a rigorous rehab and treated his injury as a chance to prove to his critics that he could respond to adversity.
Kobe's comeback was nothing short of remarkable. He was able to return to the court just seven months after his injury.
How to practice it: Believe in yourself and maintain a positive mindset, even in the face of adversity. Instead of dwelling on the situation, try to make peace with it and embrace it as an opportunity for growth. Take inspiration from others who have successfully overcome adversity and learn from their experiences. Keeping a positive outlook and staying open to new possibilities can turn adversity into an opportunity for personal growth and success.
10. Embrace failure. In the 1997 Western Conference playoffs, Kobe Bryant, then a rookie, famously missed four shots in a game against the Utah Jazz. His first miss was an attempt to win the game in regulation, and his final shot was an airball at the end of overtime that would have tied the game. The Lakers ultimately lost the game and were eliminated from the playoffs.
While this experience could have broken the spirit of many players, Kobe refused to let it defeat him. After returning to Los Angeles, he went to a local high school and spent hours shooting jump shots, repeating this routine daily throughout the offseason. He also committed to an intense workout regimen to strengthen his arms and legs, ensuring he had the stamina to follow through on his shots.
Kobe’s determination to embrace his failure and learn from it helped him become one of the greatest basketball players ever.
How to practice it: Instead of dwelling on your mistakes, try to see failure as an opportunity for growth. Reframe your failures as learning experiences and use them to improve and move forward. Take the time to address the root cause of your failure and create a plan to overcome it. By embracing your failures and using them as motivation to improve, you can turn setbacks into stepping stones toward success.
11. Greatness requires sacrifice. Becoming great at anything requires dedication and sacrifice. As Kobe Bryant said in his book, "A lot of people say that they want to be great, but they're not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve greatness. They have other concerns, whether important or not, and they spread themselves out."
Kobe was notorious for completing early morning workouts before his kids were awake and returning to the gym after they were asleep at night. He made great sacrifices to be the best but also found a balance that worked well for him and his family.
How to practice it: It is important to identify your priorities and focus on the things that support your goals. This means learning to say no to requests or commitments that don’t align with your priorities. Take the time to evaluate how you spend your time and decide how much you want to allocate to others. By being mindful of your time and priorities, you can make better decisions about using your time and energy.
Conclusion
During Kobe Bryant’s rookie season in the NBA, I was a senior in high school. I have been a fan of Kobe ever since, and I am pleased to say that I followed his entire career from start to finish. His tragic passing inspired me to revisit his Mamba Mentality and explore how to apply it to my career. I have compiled my interpretation of the Mamba Mentality from numerous articles and interviews about Kobe, and I hope it will help you improve your career.
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This blog post was updated on August 2, 2023
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