HOW MAMBA MENTALITY MADE KOBE THE GREATEST

If you’re afraid of snakes, then deal with it... cause you legally have to read this.

The Man Before the Mamba

Kobe Bryant. 

A man the world lost too soon. One that we often think we didn’t really lose because of how unreal it felt. 

But he didn’t leave behind this world with nothing. He left a wife, kids, and a mentality that will inspire generations to come. 

The mindset known as the Mamba Mentality. 

But where did that even come from? Well, let’s go back to the beginning. 

Riches To Rags

It was 2003. Kobe was at the top of his game, playing for the Lakers. He had everything coming to him.

It was his “first best season.”  Nothing could stop him. Except for something in his personal life that would really mess with him. That would do it.

He faced allegations of sexual assault in a high-profile legal case. 

A 19-year-old woman accused Bryant, then a basketball star with the Los Angeles Lakers, of sexual assault during a hotel stay in Colorado. 

This led to a criminal charge against Bryant, who admitted to having a sexual encounter with the accuser but insisted it was consensual.

This was not helping Kobe’s game at all. Everytime he stepped on the court, his personal struggles stepped on there with him, and they weighed him down, heavy.

This is when something new was born.

Black Mamba

Now what is a “black mamba?” Good question. 

It’s a snake in Africa, known for its deadly strikes. Pretty badass, right? 

Well, even scarier than the black mamba in Africa, was the “Black Mamba” that was headed to the NBA court. 

Kobe needed an alter ego. A different identity to step into that was not Kobe Bryant when he went into games. 

The Black Mamba was that alter ego. And he was ruthless. His only job was to destroy in every single game. And he did. 

We’re talking 50 point games. That’s not normal.

“That was my mental switch. It was like an actor getting ready for a film.  You gotta put yourself in that cage. 

When you’re in that cage, you are that character. And when you leave there it’s something completely different. But when I’m in that cage don’t fucking touch me..”

And we’ll let you in on a little secret Kobe told in one interview. He used to loop the “Halloween” soundtrack pre game. That’s right. Michael Myers, the stone cold killer. 

Badass? Hard to tell. One the border between badass and genuinely scary.

Mamba Mentality

So what is the mentality that comes along with this alter ego? After all, we hear it so much, and it became the name of Kobe’s book. 

In Kobe’s words, 

“It’s a way of life. It’s not an attitude per say. It’s trying to get better every single day.”

He had a version of him that never cared about anything besides improvement. There’s even interviews to prove it.

One of the most well known being when his team is up 2-0 in the season, and a reporter says he doesn’t look happy, to which he replies,

“What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished.”

His workouts were another thing that proved it. No one was even close to training as much as Kobe. Cardio, weights, and basketball. 

That was his life. And it showed in the game. Between his off court training and his alter ego switch, he was unstoppable. 

Basketball Exclusive

It’s actually not. Mamba mentality, as you may have guessed, works with whatever your craft is. 

Getting better everyday takes devotion. It means that whatever it is you’re working on, it HAS to get done. If it doesn’t, you didn’t get better that day and you might be falling behind. 

There’s always work to be done. Even when you think you’re doing good, Kobe makes you question, why stop? 

I mean some people cool down after 30 points in the game, but why not double it? (He did by the way)

So here’s what you need to do. Define your craft. The thing you’re going to be pouring yourself into. 

Honestly ask yourself if you’re getting better at it daily, or if it’s more of a monthly thing. Something that you don’t really “have the time for.” Would someone like Kobe’s level of obsession in that craft beat you?

Odds are they would. Because they have Kobe’s Black Mamba mentality, and you’re debating taking it seriously. That’s not a winner’s mindset. That’s you debating if you even want to win or if it’s too much work. 

And if you want a bonus tactic, make a cool name. The Sharp Cobra. Yeah, that’s pretty lame, but we’ll roll with it. Make that alter ego, and when you step in the court (maybe a desk perhaps, or whatever your court is) switch modes.

Become the person who is laser focused on the task and will do anything to get it done. No feelings. No emotions. Just no tolerance for anything but the best.

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