The first time I saw Kobe Bryant play basketball was when I was a senior in high school and he was in his rookie season as a 17 year old. I heard about a young man who’d made it to the NBA from high school. There was only a few who’d accomplished such a thing. It was special.

With the Lakers’ season on the line, this young man had the nerve to shoot the game winning shot. AIR BALL. What?!?! He didn’t even hit rim.

I was embarrassed for the young fella. I could not believe he had the balls to take the last shot knowing the play was not drawn up for him and throw up an air ball. I’ve thrown up plenty of air balls in my day. I play basketball still and still throw up air balls. I can’t articulate the embarrassment I feel when my shot misses everything. He missed everything, the net, the backboard, the rim. — all of it; he missed everything.

He looked embarrassed too. But, he held his head high and walked off the court. What he also did was make that a moment of learning. And through hard work, he created a Hall of Dame career for himself. He spend his time after his air ball doing what he’d done before his air ball. He developed the right mindset. In MAMBA MENTALITY he pulls back the curtain on how that’s done.

Kobe expertly instructs. Over again he show the secret to bounce back and greatness is to set high goals, keep high standards, commit, take actions to meet goals, and obsess about the details. Don’t just teach it, live it.

Damn I miss Kobe!