The Daily Grind: Have that Mamba mentality

Being the best student-athlete takes a different attitude. The key tools are being consistent, having grit and working harder than the day before.

In the last edition of the Daily Grind, I mentioned how much of a fan I was of the late and great Kobe Bryant. Of course, you can instantly look at his accolades and the things he accomplished as a Los Angeles Laker in the NBA and be a fan. But there was something more I respected about Bryant besides his championship rings – his mentality on the court was like no other during his era.

He was fearless, and we can all agree that by the end of his career, he had mastered his craft to perfection. He showed us that success doesn’t come overnight and that doing the work is the only way to become successful. Kobe was able to accomplish so much, endure all the sacrifices and still remain focused on being great at basketball, but how?

He called it the ‘Mamba Metinalty.’ It’s being the best version of yourself and utilizing your time each day to improve.

Often, we all get caught up in trying to emulate what we see on television or social media when the true path to success is just being yourself. I challenge each student-athlete and everyone else to become the best version of yourself this year.

Being exceptional takes work and practice, and that’s what Kobe wanted to teach. Whether playing a sport or working a job, you should always strive to do and be the best. Kobe had five pillars to channeling your inner Mamba mentality – fearlessness, relentlessness, passion, obsessiveness, and resilience.

Be Fearless

I want you all to be fearless this year. Whenever you step out to compete, have the mindset of being unbeatable. Never allow intimidation to rattle your spirit. Being fearless is quieting the voice in your head that tells you that you don’t have what it takes. Embrace your weaknesses and use them as fuel. When you discover what your weaknesses are, that makes you fearless. Being the best takes a lot of pressure, and with pressure comes fear, but I’m here to tell you that failure is just a state of mind. I challenge you all to overcome any fear holding you back from going to the next level.

Be Relentless

When you’re relentless, you’re not stopping until you get what you want. It takes a person who’s persistent and determined to pursue their goals. Even if some may try to divert you from your objective, you only need to move aside as your sole focus is on the reward of greatness.

Have Passion

Having passion is the key to success. If you want to be great at your sport, you must first love it. You have to love everything about it. If you play football, love the smell of the grass, the feel of the ball or the sounds from the tackles. Be willing to show raw emotions. There’s nothing more special than watching an athlete who cares about his team and the game. Even if sports is not your niche, find something you love to do and do it well.

Be Obsessive

You can only be the best at your respective sport if you know the ins and outs of it. The one thing that separated Kobe from other ball players was his will to learn. He studied the game, the rules and even past players. By doing so, he gained the advantage over most of his opponents because he was willing to do whatever it took to be the best. If you want to master your craft, become obsessed with making it happen.

Be Resilient

Failure is a part of life and sports. It’s an unavoidable situation that will occur no matter how much you plan or train for it. When obstacles do occur, the goal is to be resilient. It doesn’t simply mean pushing through hardships and forgetting about them; it’s understanding the failures and using them to improve. The key is not allowing anything to overtake you too much to the point where you start questioning your work. You must have the capacity to overcome hardship and recover from trying circumstances.

We all have a small hint of the Mamba mentality deep inside of us, but it’s up to you to make that decision by utilizing your tools. If you’re ready to make that change to be better, I say start now. The new year is only a blank page where you can improve on something you didn’t accomplish the year prior.

I wish you all the best of luck as you continue to maneuver your way to success as a student-athlete, and remember, nothing in this world can stop you from achieving greatness if you stick to the daily grind.

D’Courtland Christian is the assistant sports editor of the Daily American Republic. Contact him at dchristian@darnews.com.