The Mamba Mentality

This article is my entry for @isaria Creative Coin Contest the official weekly contest with a grand prize of 500 creative coins of generational wealth. I invite you my followers and reader. I believe in this article enough to make it my participation entry of the contest so check it out and find some valuable and stylish edutainment!

Allen Iverson & Kobe Bryant were drafted the same year that is 1996.

Allen was drafted number 1.

Kobe was drafted number 13.

Truth be told...

From the beginning, it looked like Allen was going to have the better career.

He was the starter from the get go & had the opportunity to prove himself.

While Kobe was just coming out of high school & starting off as a bench player.

Allen would consistently get a lot of minutes every game.

Kobe would be lucky to get a couple of garbage time minutes.

Allen finished off his rookie year strong.

He was voted Rookie of the Year!!

While Kobe ended the year with 3 airballs in a Playoff game.

Kobe ended that season embarrassed.

Truth be told... airballing 3 shots in a Playoff game (where all eyes are on you) would have made many quit.

But not Kobe.

Kobe decided to double down on basketball & come back with a vengeance. Hopefully.

That was a defining moment for Kobe.

And it was a great opportunity for him to showcase his character.

Fast forward over 2 decades & the narrative changed.

Allen ended his career rather unexpectedly.

Kobe finished his career as a legend.

This article isn't to shit on Allen Iverson.

I am a big fan and respect the intensity he played the game with.

But it's more so to showcase that around 1996, most would have NEVER predicted that Kobe would have finished with the more stellar career.

I mean Allen Iverson had the strong narrative from the get go.

Rookie of the year.

Prolific scorer.

And multiple accolades.

A bench warming Kobe would be the last person you would have expected in terms of greatness.

But Kobe proved that narrative to be false.

Kobe always had a killer mentality.

Image source

The Mamba Mentality.

Even in 2004, when he was facing rape accusations, once again facing public humiliation, getting death threats, you thought he would have shied away.

But nah, he doubled down on his sport.

Kobe and Allen were different in terms of intensity for the game.

Was Allen more naturally talented? I think so.

But was Kobe able to get more out of his talent? I think so.

Kobe's baseline talent mixed with his intense work ethic propelled him into becoming something that many would have never predicted.

Dude was great.

But more importantly, dude was consistent.

Why though?

Kobe was consistent because he decided to get great at something that he could do whenever.

When things were going well, he would play basketball.

When things were going bad, he would play basketball.

When you find a task like that, then you have found a hobby.

With the rise of the internet & technology, hobbies are the most VALUABLE investment that you can make for your future.

That may have sounded comical back in the days.

But there are people who get paid millions every year to turn a camera on & play video games.

Times are changing.

If you don't have a hobby that you can do whenever... then find one.

The era of creativity is coming.

But more importantly, the era of fun is coming.

You need to find a task like Kobe found.

Many wonder how he had such strong work ethic.

But if you look closer, it wasn't so much as work ethic.

Rather, just having fun.

When you find a task that allows you to have fun, to outsiders, you seem to be 'working hard.'

But to yourself, you feel guilty.

You feel like you should be working rather than just playing around.

But no...

You are working.

You are tricking your brain to excel at something.

Don't think you only get good by being bored the whole time.

That's the paradigm that you were taught in school.

Sure, the beginning of anything is boring or painful.

Just like when Kobe shot those 3 airballs in a playoff game.

But if you think long term, then the pain is simply speed bumps, not road blocks.

Find a task that allows you to have fun & channel your mind into it.

Much love for Allen Iverson.

But as time progressed, Kobe flipped the narrative.

Short term thinkers get short term results.

Long term thinkers plan around having fun, because that's the only way they know they'll get great & not get burnt out doing it.

#RIPKobeBryant

Till tomorrow

Trilston 💲