Prescott’s injury came during one of the most trying periods of his life off the field and one of the most successful stretches of his career on it. His brother, Jace, took his own life in April 2020, and Prescott spoke publicly about how challenging that experience had been on his own mental health, particularly while in the midst of the isolating COVID-19 pandemic. Over time, the mindset became synonymous with an obsessive pursuit of perfection in all aspects of life, and it was a guiding principle for athletes looking to gain a competitive edge. Throughout the latter part of his career and into retirement, Bryant was asked to explain his success to kids, teenagers, and other pro athletes so frequently that the Mamba Mentality became a catchall for his philosophy of approaching basketball—and life. Bryant’s key to both was the same: obsession. Bryant’s mindset can be summed up in his own coinage: the “Mamba mentality.” Understanding it provides a glimpse into what made him so great, and it has profound implications for our own lives, as well. The Rise of Mamba Don't ever play victim to anyone. Often we are our own worst enemy because we continue to play the roles we're used to even if they are not making us happy. There's plenty of success available for everyone, and you will define your success by your actions. Throughout his post-professional basketball career, Bryant claimed he’d never been beaten one-on-one. The Mamba Mentality PDF

The Mamba Mentality | BIG W The Mamba Mentality | BIG W

While putting his mentality onto paper with, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play , Bryant opened up further about his craft, his career and how he juggled fatherhood by sacrificing sleep to fit his workouts in. He also shared the seeds that founded his passion for basketball -- which would eventually bloom into his passion for spreading his positive and inspirational message. Kobe Bryant’s legacy is heavy on the minds of people around the world. Since news broke of the former basketball player’s untimely death, people have been trying to process their feelings and what Bryant meant to them. Bryant shared his Mamba mentality with countless individuals, teams, and organizations in hopes of giving them the mindset to achieve greatness. The benefit of this philosophy is you don’t have to be a superstar to actualize it in your own life. When your expectations are highest, what others think or expect of you loses any semblance of pressure. High-performing athletes tend to have expectations that are higher than those on the outside. In 2008 Kobe wanted his next signature sneaker to be a low top. But Nike was not ready to do it. He persuaded Nike to make what he wanted.

While I enjoyed Kobe’s take on competing against numerous other NBA players throughout his career, the parts of The Mamba Mentality I enjoyed most were those that focused on his dedication to the craft of basketball, along with his determination, motivation, and consistent discipline. Dunking Is About Domination. When you dunk the ball, it lets the opposition know your mentality. It lets them know you’re there to humiliate them. It also sets an emotional tone with your teammates. It lets them know you’re going to climb mountains this games and inspires them to want to climb with you.” – p. 133 I know [the Mamba Mentality] is the right approach, the right mindset, and that’s something I want to instill into my children growing up,” said Barkley, who has a daughter and another child on the way. “Not just with sports, but with anything in life. When you have that mindset, the work ethic, the dedication, you could achieve anything in this world.” an autobiography on Kobe’s life–again, coffee table book w/personally selected thoughts on his basketball career

Kobe Bryant - The Mamba Mentality - Academia.edu Kobe Bryant - The Mamba Mentality - Academia.edu

I went from watching what was there to watching for what was missing and should have been there. I went from watching what happened to what could have and should have happened. One of the main takeaways was that you have to work hard in the dark to shine in the light. Meaning: It takes a lot of work to be successful." Some games require more intensity, so I would need to get my character and mind in an animated zone. Other games, I needed calm.” Taylor, the sports psychologist, said taking on alter egos gives people a mental shortcut to tap into other aspects of themselves. “The more you can take psychological things and turn them into tangible things or beings, it’s more manageable,” Taylor said. “A character means you don’t have to think about all this deep psychological stuff. You just say, ‘There’s that character.’” Decision-making becomes simpler; simply channel how you think that person would react—exactly what Ryan implored Prescott to do.Masters never stop learning about the game. Even though Bryant made his game analysis part of his post-playing days (through his popular Details show where he broke down NBA games and players), this thirst and curiosity for the game started early. And more importantly, it was something that he enjoyed. Bryant understood from early on that his ascent was contingent on how well he mastered the base fundamentals of the game. And he knew that few others had the patience and long-term thinking required to become a master of the fundamentals of the game. These are some of the quotes I took from the book, which I hope gives you a glimpse into this man’s unshakeable mindset: