Questioning a Lesson Kobe Bryant Taught Us

Scrolling through social media this morning, I saw an image with a list of “Lessons Kobe Bryant Taught Us.” There were five. I was struck by the first:

“Obsession is necessary for greatness.”

Personally, I think this is a dangerous message. Why? Because a good portion of my work involves helping people unravel this very belief. The belief that led them to run themselves ragged, feel guilty, anxious, exhausted, miss out on family and friends, and suffer health consequences.

Oxford defines the word Obsession as: “An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind.”

I’ve had times where an idea or thought was continually preoccupying or intruding my mind – and I’ve got to say, it wasn’t fun.

By its definition, obsession eclipses everything else. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a whole life to live. A balanced life full of the love of family and friends, health, peace of mind, spiritual connection, fulfillment and, dare I say…greatness.

As the morning wore on I found myself wondering, would Kobe have said this, really? That obsession is necessary for greatness?

I didn’t know, so I did a little research on Mamba Mentality (Bryant’s book and signature philosophy).

In a quote from 2017, Bryant reflected, “Mamba mentality is a constant quest to find answers. It’s that infinite curiosity to want to be better, to figure things out. Mamba mentality is you’re going, you’re competing, you’re not worried about the end result.

“You’re not worried about what people may say. You’re not worried about disappointing others. You’re not worried about any of that, you’re just focused on being in the moment. That’s what mamba mentality truly is.”

Now THAT sounds like a blast. That doesn’t sound like obsession, it sounds extraordinarily healthy. It sounds like commitment, curiosity, presence, detachment, energy and grace. If that’s what’s necessary for greatness, I’m in!

Thank you for the lesson Kobe Bryant really taught us.