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Kobe Bryant Quote on Keeping Calm and Centered in Basketball and in Life

“The game is full of ebbs and flows—the good, the bad, and everything in between. With all that was going on around me, I had to figure out how to steel my mind and keep calm and centered. That’s not to say my emotions didn’t spike or drop here or there, but I was aware enough to recalibrate and bring them back level before things spiraled. I could do that in a way others couldn’t, and that was really key for me.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 175)

Beyond the Quote (226/365)

And so it is for life, eh? The game of life is full of ebbs and flows—the good, the bad, and everything in between. I think 2020 highlights that in more intense ways than in many years of recent past—especially for Kobe—may he rest in peace. And while it’s natural to hope that things go back to “normal” and that the ebbs and flows “level out” so that they may be more easily managed—it would be unrealistic and naive to expect it to actually happen. The ebbs will continue to ebb and the flows will continue to flow, like they always have and like they always will. So, what then are we to do?

“Over the course of 20 seasons, I suffered my fair share of serious injuries. The first thing I always thought about in those situations was, ‘What do I need to do to get back to 100 percent?’ That was my mindset. I never let fear or doubt seep into my psyche. I never whined and I never complained. I mean, for what?”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 172)

Tony Robbins Quote on Focus and How Questions Are One Of The Most Powerful Tools To Utilize

“The most powerful way to control your focus is through the use of questions.”
Tony Robbins

Beyond the Quote (225/365)

Distracted? It’s because you’re asking yourself the wrong questions: Am I missing out on any new posts on the socials? I wonder what he/she is doing right now? I wonder how much it would cost to buy a new kayak? How come I always get so distracted? Why is life always so unfair to me? What am I going to eat for dinner? How can I get rich, quick? What shortcut can I take for better health? Why is my dog so cute? You get the idea.

“Take a simple idea and take it seriously.”
Charlie Munger

Beyond the Quote (224/365)

Reading 20 pages from a book every day is a simple idea. Writing in your journal before bed every night is a simple idea. Going for a walk every morning is a simple idea. Stopping eating after 8pm every night is a simple idea. Reaching out to and connecting with at least one friend every day is a simple idea. People have these types of ideas all of the time. The problem isn’t the ideas or even the simplicity of the ideas (although “complicated” can certainly be a problem). The problem is the taking of the ideas seriously.

“For some people, I guess, it might be hard to stay sharp once you’ve reached the pinnacle. Not for me, though. It was never enough. I always wanted to be better, wanted more. I can’t really explain it, other than that I loved the game but had a very short memory. That fueled me until the day I hung up my sneakers.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 125)

“I never felt outside pressure. I knew what I wanted to accomplish, and I knew how much work it took to achieve those goals. I then put in the work and trusted in it. Besides, the expectations I placed on myself were higher than what anyone expected from me.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 98)

“Sister, there are people who went to sleep all over the world last night, poor and rich and white and black, but they will never wake again. Sister, those who expected to rise did not, their beds became their cooling boards, and their blankets became their winding sheets. And those dead folks would give anything, anything at all for just five minutes of this… So you watch yourself about complaining, Sister. What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”
Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now

“It is better to start as a fool and learn from your mistakes than to fake being a genius and ignore your errors.”
James Clear, Blog

“What looks like a talent gap is often a focus gap. The ‘all star’ is often an average to above average performer who spends more time working on what is important and less time on distractions. The talent is staying focused.”
James Clear

Drake Quote from Emotionless on Posting To Social Media and Trying To Impress People

“I know a girl whose one goal was to visit Rome/
Then she finally got to Rome/
And all she did was post pictures for people at home/
‘Cause all that mattered was impressin’ everybody she’s known”
Drake, Emotionless

Beyond the Quote (223/365)

Happiness is only real when shared. That’s the last thing that Chris McCandless wrote before he died in the movie, Into The Wild. (Warning: More spoilers ahead) Based on a true story, the main character, after getting accepted into Law School, decided he wanted to pursue an alternate path and donated all of his college money to charity, bought a cheap car, and drove out west in pursuit of a remote life in Alaska. He wanted to travel, explore, and live completely free from conformity.

“Opinions from total strangers take me out of my ways/
I try and see who’s there on the other end of the shade/
Most times it’s just somebody that’s underage/
That’s probably just alone and afraid/
And lashin’ out so that someone else can feel they pain”
Drake, Emotionless

Hayao Miyazaki Quote on Relationships and Broadening Our Definition of Love

“I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live… if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.”
Hayao Miyazaki

Beyond the Quote (222/365)

…Inspiring another person to live—what higher expression of love is there? And by live, of course, we mean really live—fulfill your life in a way that’s far beyond merely existing. Living is exploring; existing is hiding. Living is questioning; existing is tolerating. Living is risking; existing is comforting. Living is a rarity that few people embody to its full extent; existing is the commonplace for the rest. And what more can be said about love in its true expression?

“Initially I thought the phrase ‘Mamba Mentality’ was just a catchy hashtag that I’d start on Twitter. Something witty and memorable. But it took off from there and came to symbolize much more. 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.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 93)

“The OG greats won’t hang around you if you don’t display the same passion as they do. They won’t share their time and memories with you if you don’t display the same effort and drive for excellence that they did. Even though I was only 17 when I became a Laker, I felt like a member of the family from day one. I think I was accepted so quickly because everyone saw how hard I worked, saw how badly I wanted to fulfill my destiny and return L.A. to its championship ways.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 91)

“I liked challenging people and making them uncomfortable. That’s what leads to introspection and that’s what leads to improvement. You could say I dared people to be their best selves.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 88)

“Most players listen to music every game. They have their headphones on religiously and use music to get them in the right state of mind. They’d even sing and dance. I rarely ever did that. Sometimes, even when I had headphones on, there wasn’t any music playing. It was a feint to keep people away, and to get in my zone. For the most part, before games I just liked being there, hearing the sounds of the environment and observing everything.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 84)

John Leland Quote on Happiness and How Gratitude is the Key That Unlocks the Door

“Some people are grateful seemingly as their default state, even when no one’s looking. Their lives aren’t necessarily better than other people’s, but they find more reasons to give thanks for their small rewards. Fred Jones was one of those people. Giving thanks made him happy, which made him grateful, which made him happy.”
John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 119)

Beyond the Quote (221/365)

Maybe you know one of those people too? A person who seems to be grateful by default and is seemingly more happy as a result. Or maybe it’s that they’re more happy by default so they express more gratitude? Does it matter which one it is? Does one cause the other or are they both inextricably linked? …I believe that it does matter and understanding this catch-22 will help you understand how to be more like the Fred Jones’ of the world. Let’s take a closer look.

Excerpt: These 12 deep quotes from The Great Work Of Your Life will help you live more deliberately, more aligned, and in a more meaningful way.