Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past two plus decades, you know who Kobe Bryant is. And, unless you’re still living under that same rock, you’ve heard about him and 8 others, including his 13 year old daughter, Gianna, dying in a helicopter accident in Calabasas, California on Sunday.
I know I’m definitely not the first to say this, but I was absolutely stunned to hear about the accident.
Because of his clout and accomplishment, both on and off the basketball court, Kobe’s death is definitely one of those “you remember where you were when…” type of moments.
I remember watching him dominate the game of basketball from the time I was 9 until I was 29. Admittedly, I never really liked Kobe much early in his career because I thought he was arrogant. But damn did I always respect him. He was an absolute beast.
As he progressed in his career and I got older, the more I learned about him, the more I started to admire and look up to him. I realized that, although he was known and revered for his basketball dominance, there was so much more to Kobe. He was like an onion, there were so many layers to him.
After hearing about the accident and people talking about his life and legacy, I started to reflect on all the different lessons I’ve learned from Kobe.
Although there are several to pick from, I want to share with you the top 3 lessons the life and legacy of Kobe Bryant taught me.
1. Success is found in the details
Let’s be real, Kobe was an athletic freak. He was clearly blessed with the skills, talents, and physical traits that allowed him to be a really good basketball player.
But that’s just it, Kobe didn’t want to just be a really good basketball player. He wanted to be the best.
More than his athletic ability, Kobe’s work ethic was legendary. And that was in all areas of his life. Whether it was in basketball, business, or his family life, Kobe embodied the “first in, last out” mentality, and didn’t rely on his God-given giftedness to carry him.
I remember hearing a story from Lewis Howes, who interviewed Kobe for his School of Greatness Podcast, about Kobe’s work ethic.
Lewis said that on the day of the interview, he got to Kobe’s office nice and early to set up and prep for the interview. While going through his pre-interview routine, Lewis noticed someone sitting in the dark in this big office with a glass wall.
Turns out it was Kobe. And he had been there for hours. When he asked, Howes found out that that was the norm. That same “first in, last out” mentality that made Kobe one of the greatest to ever grace the hardwood, also allowed him to win an Oscar, become a best-selling author, and show up as a highly respected husband and father.
Kobe proved that talent will only take you so far. He had the mindset of a grinder – someone who relentlessly loved the process of what it takes to be great.
2. People will forgive you when you’re truly sorry
As many accolades as he achieved, Kobe’s life wasn’t without controversy. In 2003 he was accused of felony sexual assault by a 19-year-old employee at the hotel where he was preparing for knee surgery.
Kobe maintained his innocence throughout the trial, admitting to the sexual encounter but denying the sexual assault. As you’d imagine, his reputation took a hit, and there were definitely some Kobe haters at that time.
I’d be lying if I said that that situation didn’t further my dislike for him. In my mind, it was more validation of the fact that he was an arrogant jerk who thought the rules didn’t apply to him.
But it was his actions after that incident and going forward that started to change my opinions about him. Kobe seemed extremely contrite when he publicly apologized to the accuser with his wife by his side.
As a man who has committed my own transgressions, I understand what it’s like to be in that position. What the journey back is like. The person internal struggle you deal with. On top of that, he had to balance being in the limelight as the best player in the game.
Shortly after that, he became a father for the first time also. Watching him come back from such a low moment and blossom into, by all accounts, a highly respected husband and father, made me respect the man deeply.
His situation proved that when you demonstrate genuine remorse and, here’s the kicker, back up your talk with actions, people will forgive you for your wrongdoings. Are there people who still held that incident against Kobe, absolutely. And that’s fine.
But, by and large, Kobe’s situation further proved that although we’re going to screw up in life, it’s not the end of your story.
3. Life is so fragile
For the vast majority of people, they’ll never know what it’s like to live a life of immense luxury and wealth like Kobe lived. The nice house, fancy cars, millions in the bank. But, although you may not be able to relate to his wealth, we can all relate to the fragility of life. At the end of the day, despite his wealth, Kobe’s life was no more secure than anyone else’s.
We have an epidemic of small mindedness in the world where it’s a battle between the “haves” and the “have nots.” As someone who was on the “have not” side of things for so much of my life before stepping into my power, I know what it’s like to think that all that wealth affords the “haves” with the opportunity to live a better life.
While that may be true in terms of the things they can buy and experience, it doesn’t make them any more invincible than the rest of us.
Even though we all know it, sudden deaths such as Kobe’s remind us just how fragile life really is. I mean the guy was 41 years old, and really only just hitting his stride in life post-basketball.
I love how Brendon Burchard calls it “mortality motivation.” It’s that unfortunate wake up call that we get about just how fragile our lives really are, and how it can all be gone in an instant.
Sadly, some people need to come face-to-face with their own mortality before they ever wake up to this fact and start actually living and chasing their dreams. Or, even worse, some people never get that opportunity. They take their dreams to the grave with them.
I urge you, if you take nothing else away from the tragic accident that took the lives of Kobe Bryant and 8 others, take away the fact that you only get one shot at this life, and you don’t know when that shot is going to be up.
Although Kobe lived much of his life in the limelight and did some amazing things in his athletic, business, and personal lives, his life was no more valuable than yours. You have the ability to achieve your dreams and leave a legacy just like he did.
But, like Kobe, you have to be willing to make sacrifices and take serious action towards your goals. Let this tragedy serve as the wake up call you need to go out and start finally living your best life.
Be UNCOMMON!
Justin
