The late basketball legend Kobe Bryant was known never to hold his tongue. He was always ready with an opinion and to share his take on life, success, and sports.
Kobe liked to use his nickname Mamba as his on-court alter-ego. He even created with Chad Faulkner the Mamba Sports Academy in 2018 as a holistic athletic training facility for kids. His daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, who perished with him and seven others in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020, played for one of Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy teams.
Here are 10 quotes from Kobe Bryant that hustlers and bosses can relate to.
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“This is the moment I accept the most challenging times will always be behind me and in front of me.”
“Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.”
“Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.”
“I realized that intimidation didn’t really exist if you’re in the right frame of mind.”
“Those times when you get up early and you work hard, those times when you stay up late and you work hard, those times when you don’t feel like working, you’re too tired, you don’t want to push yourself, but you do it anyway. That is actually the dream. That’s the dream. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. And if you guys can understand that, then what you’ll see happen is you won’t accomplish your dreams, your dreams won’t come true; something greater will,” Kobe said in his 2017 retirement speech.
“There’s a choice that we have to make as people, as individuals. If you want to be great at something, there’s a choice you have to make. We all can 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 friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be. There are sacrifices that come along with making that decision,” Kobe said in an interview for the 2015 Showtime documentary “Kobe Bryant’s Muse.”
“The topic of leadership is a touchy one. A lot of leaders fail because they don’t have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord. Throughout my years, I haven’t had that fear.”
“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.”
“I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.”
“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what the injury – unless it’s completely debilitating – I’m going to be the same player I’ve always been. I’ll figure it out. I’ll make some tweaks, some changes, but I’m still coming.”
