The Mamba Mentality: How I Play

by Kobe Bryant

I always kept the end result, the long game, in my mind. I always focused on the fact that I had to try something to get

I strengthened my focus. By doing all of that, I strengthened my ability to be present and not have a wandering mind.

You can’t achieve greatness by walking a straight line.

My approach always was that I’d rather risk embarrassment now than be embarrassed later,

you have to work hard in the dark to shine in the light.

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. I do think that it’s important, in all endeavors, to have that mentality.

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.

People make a huge deal out of clutch shots. Thing is, it’s just one shot. If you make a thousand shots a day, it’s just one of a thousand. Once you’re hitting that many, what’s one more?

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.