THE RUTHLESS SELF-DISCIPLINE OF KOBE BRYANT
In the weeks since the untimely death of NBA legend, investor, storyteller, and Academy Award winner Kobe Bryant, much has been written about the devoted husband and father of four: his legacy on the court, his complicated past, the business empire he left behind, and how he loved being a #GirlDad. Two common themes found throughout many of these stories are his ruthless approach to competition and his disciplined approach to life. In many ways, the two were one and the same––his relentless pursuit of excellence (for both himself and everyone around him) was fueled by his unrivaled self-discipline and work ethic. He could demand the best from others because he demanded even more from himself.
Will Smith once said, “At the center of bringing any dream into fruition is self-discipline.” Whether it be in work, business, love, finances, health, or in our minds, discipline is the key to achieving the results we desire. When motivation is low, discipline steps up. When self-doubt trickles in, discipline clears a path forward. Kobe Bryan’s ruthless self-discipline on and off the court was the foundation of his success. Below are some examples of how his physical, mental, and emotional discipline fueled his greatness.
––––––––––––
THE DISCIPLINE TO DO THE WORK
“Those times when you get up early and you work hard...when you stay up late and you work hard...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...It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”––Kobe Bryant
Kobe gained a reputation as the hardest working person in the room early in life. Despite being the best player (by far) on the Lower Merion High School basketball team, he would still show up for practice at 5 am and leave at 7 a.m.––sometimes making his teammates play him one-on-one to 100.
This work ethic would follow him to the NBA where countless stories are told of him being the first person on the court––shooting in the dark two hours before practice and beating everyone to the gym even when he was hurt.
He once said, "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's discipline enabled him to do the work before the work.
THE DISCIPLINE TO SAY ‘NO’
Whether it's declining social invitations to stay in and do work, abstaining from food and substances, or even turning down a great opportunity because it doesn't align with your mission, saying "no" can be hard. But saying "no" to the wrong things gives you the freedom and time to say "yes" to the right things. Kobe knew this.
A high school friend recalled how Kobe would forgo Friday night parties for free-throw shooting. "One day I'm going to play with Jordan," Kobe said.
Years later, the summer after his rookie season in the NBA, Spike Lee would offer him the lead role of Jesus Shuttlesworth in the director's acclaimed movie He Got Game. The part would have been an amazing opportunity for the young Bryant, but he knew he had work to do on the court, not off it.
Kobe ultimately passed on the role and spent the summer in the gym. As a result, he averaged 15.4 points per game during his sophomore season.
THE DISCIPLINE TO LEARN
"If you just sit down and say, 'I'm going to learn this thing until I do, there's not really much out there that you can't figure out eventually."––Kobe Bryant
Although Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson once called Bryant "uncoachable," Kobe was a disciplined student. He taught himself how to play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" by ear. Intent on dominating the business world just as he did the NBA, he was known to text top CEOs at all hours of the night seeking advice. He sought counsel from Oprah Winfrey and Shonda Rhimes on how to win in Hollywood. He was mentored by both Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan.
However, his ability to learn and evolve was not limited to matters of business. After using a homophobic slur against a game official in 2011, he would grow to champion LGBTQ rights and advocate against bullying. After receiving pushback about his initial thoughts on Trayvon Martin's death, he spent time learning about the case, eventually apologizing to the Martin family, speaking at a rally in his honor, and engaging in activism around the wrongful deaths of people of color.
Infinitely curious an unafraid to be proven wrong, Kobe knew enough to know that he didn't know enough.
A DISCIPLINED MIND
“‘Mamba Mentality’ means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself. It’s a constant quest to try to be better today than yesterday.” ––Kobe Bryant
Kobe described the makings of his "Mamba Mentality" this way:
"I remember sitting in the locker room at halftime and saying to myself, 'You know what, you may lose everything in life because of the situation that you put yourself in,'" he recalled.
This was in the middle of a game against the Orlando Magic, amidst the tumult of his 2003 sexual assault case. His marriage was in deep trouble, the public had shunned him, all but one of his sponsors had dropped him, and he only scored one point during the first half of the game.
"'You may lose your family, your freedom, but I'll be damned if I lose basketball. Because this sh*t I can control,'" he told himself. He got back up, scored 24 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers went on to win that game.
His disciplined focus is a major key to his success. The ability to zone in on the task at hand, repurpose the taunts from the haters, and control the only things in life that any of us can command at all times––our reactions––is what made him great.