Founders
#272 Kobe Bryant (The Life)
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Kobe Bryant's deep passion and relentless work ethic allowed him to stand out among his peers in basketball.
- Bryant sought mentorship from basketball legends like Michael Jordan and adopted some of their playing styles.
- Bryant's mental strength, sacrifice, and dedication to the sport were key factors in his success.
Deep dives
Kobe Bryant's Intense Passion for Basketball
Kobe Bryant's deep passion for basketball is evident throughout his career. He believed in engaging in psychological warfare with opponents and closely studied the game by watching videos of NBA stars like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Bryant's relentless work ethic and dedication to perfecting his skills allowed him to stand out among his peers. He sought advice from experienced players like Michael Jordan and Gary Payton to improve his game. Bryant also embraced the mental aspect of competition, seeking mindfulness training to reduce the stress of the game. Despite facing criticism and setbacks, Bryant's unwavering self-confidence and love for the game propelled him towards greatness.
The Importance of Mentorship and Learning from the Greats
Kobe Bryant recognized the value of learning from those who came before him. He sought mentorship from basketball legends like Michael Jordan and adopted some of their playing styles and mannerisms. Bryant diligently studied videos of Jordan's games and incorporated his moves into his own game. He also reached out to players like Gary Payton for advice on specific aspects of the game. By embracing the wisdom and guidance of others, Bryant continually refined his skills and became one of the greatest players in NBA history.
The Mental Strength and Sacrifice of Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant's mental strength and sacrifice were key factors in his success. He overcame setbacks and used them as motivation to work harder and improve his game. Bryant's intense passion and dedication to the sport drove him to train relentlessly, even during the offseason. He utilized mindfulness training and visualization techniques to enhance his performance and overcome challenges. Bryant's willingness to sacrifice personal relationships and prioritize the team's success underscored his unwavering commitment to the game of basketball.
The Journey of a Ruthless Competitor
Kobe Bryant's journey was marked by his relentless pursuit of greatness and his unyielding competitiveness. He was known for his intense work ethic and always strived for perfection. Bryant sought out the advice and guidance of mentors and continually looked for ways to improve his game. His unapologetic determination led him to make tough decisions, including cutting off people who were no longer useful to his goals. Throughout his career, Bryant's fierce competitiveness and ruthlessness propelled him to achieve extraordinary success on and off the basketball court.
The Importance of Focus and Simplification
In this podcast episode, the speaker emphasizes the importance of focus and simplification in achieving success. He reflects on the experiences of successful athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, who learned the value of focusing on their strengths and eliminating distractions. Similarly, Steve Jobs transformed Apple by narrowing down their product line and focusing on creating great products, marketing them effectively, and improving distribution. The lesson for founders is to prioritize focus and simplicity in their business strategies, understanding that it is not about doing everything but rather doing a few things exceptionally well.
Communicating Values through Marketing
The podcast also discusses the significance of effective marketing in conveying a company's values and connecting with consumers. Drawing examples from Nike's marketing approach, which centers around honoring great athletes and athletics, the speaker highlights the importance of evoking emotions and conveying a company's purpose rather than solely focusing on product features and competition. Steve Jobs exemplified this in Apple's 'Think Different' campaign, honoring those who think differently and have positively impacted the world. The lesson for founders is to communicate their values through marketing, appealing to the emotions and aspirations of their audience.
What I learned from reading Showboat: The Life of Kobe Bryant by Roland Lazenby.
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Founders Notes gives you the superpower to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. You can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. Get access to Founders Notes here.
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[9:15] Notes from The Redeem Team documentary:
30 seconds into the first practice Kobe is diving for loose balls. That set the tone.
Players go clubbing. Come back at 5:30am and see Kobe working out. "This motherfucker Kobe was already drenched in sweat. Yeah he’s different"— LeBron James. By the end of the week the whole team was on Kobe’s schedule.
Understand the responsibility. I know I’m not going to fucking lose. I am not going to fucking lose. Not when I’m wearing this (team USA jersey) and not at this time in my career. You’re going to have to fucking shoot me. That’s how I want you to play. — Coach K
At one point you will have a grandkid on your lap and they will ask you weren’t you in the Olympics ? What did you do? You wanna say: Well son, we lost to that fucking Greek team? —Coach K
When you’re in the Olympic village you're around people who are the best in the world at what they do. That is more special that celebrities in LA because this is athlete to athlete — I understand what they put their body through to get here. There’s so much respect and mutual admiration. —Kobe
What Kobe told team USA going into the 4th quarter: Just think about the play in front of you.
[12:07] At every turn his declarations of future greatness have been met with head shaking and raised eyebrows.
[14:33] It's almost like Kobe's insane level of dedication was like compensation for the bad decision making of his father.
[15:15] 4 parts to Kobe’s blueprint:
Master the fundamentals
Improve your weaknesses
Study the greats
Concentrate
[15:12] Listening to Founders is like watching game tape of history's greatest entrepreneurs.
[15:40] I used to watch their moves and then I'd add them to my game. It was the beginning of a career-long focus on studying game recordings.
[15:48] He would invest long hours each day in breaking down his own performances and those of opponents— far more than what any other NBA player would ever contemplate undertaking.
[17:08] Jay Z’ autobiography: Decoded by Jay Z. (Founders #238)
[21:22] If you’re not good, Jeff will chew you up and spit you out. And if you’re good, he will jump on your back and ride you into the ground. —The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone. (Founders #179)
[21:58] If you're breaking down tape of Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan and so many other greats, you come to consider them your teachers.
[22:39] Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight. (Founders #186)
[23:00] Jordan and Knight certainly shared a competitive nature that bordered on insanity, Moore added. "If you think Jordan and Kobe are competitive, go meet Phil Knight. He's a no bullshit competitor. It's, 'You play for me or I can't stand you, I will kill you.' That's Phil Knight, full stop. And he's not shy about it.”
[29:30] He studied the game harder than anyone else has ever studied the game.
[30:00] One day just before practice, the team was informed that it couldn't have the gym due to flooding.
“This is bullshit!” he screamed, slamming a ball off the floor. “This is bullshit! We got practice, I want to practice. This is ridiculous!" (He was in high school)
[31:10] Kobe had a closet at home filled with critical research. It held all these VHS tapes of Michael's games.
[32:00] Kobe on Michael Jordan: What you get from me— is from him. I don't get five championships without him because he guided me so much and gave me so much great advice.
[32:22] Sol Price: Retail Revolutionary & Social Innovator by Robert E. Price. (Founders #107)
[35:22] Bryant's workout had been so impressive that for Jerry West, it had revealed his heart. It was there in the skill set alone, in some ways, just the amount of work that a player would have to have done to possess such immaculate moves, the footwork and fakes and execution, the hours that must have been put into that kind of perfection.
[37:55] Part of his strategy for keeping his disappointment at bay was to focus on others who had faced far more difficult circumstances. "I read the autobiography of Jackie Robinson," Bryant said. “I was thinking about all the hard times I'd go through this year, and that it'd never compare to what he went through. That just kind of helped put things in perspective."
[38:50] Kobe’s favorite book was Enders Game by Orson Scott Card.
[39:00] The only way he could keep the whole dream going was to work harder and harder and harder, to spin his fantasies around and around until they wrapped him tight in a new reality.
[39:45] Estée Lauder: A Success Storyby Estée Lauder. (Founders #217)
[41:00] I think that game was vital to how good he became. That level of embarrassment to happen to somebody like him? The next year he came out like a fucking maniac.
[41:15] Leading By Design: The Ikea Story by Bertil Torekull. (Founders #104)
[46:03] Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby. (Founders #212)
[47:00] The best book on the emotional toll entrepreneurs experience: Against The Odds: An Autobiography by James Dyson (Founders #200)
[54:15] Highly competitive personalities like Jordan and Bryant could absolutely kill a team atmosphere with displays of ruthlessness or selfishness.
[55:22] He stands up, points around the room and says, You motherfuckers don't belong in the same court with me.You're all shit. And he walked out of the locker room.
[56:07] 4 ideas from Kobe:
Search for your limits
Extreme personal practice
Resourcefullness—find a way.
Study the greats
[57:39] He was one of the rare few who simply cared far more about the game than anyone else.
[1:02:24] The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant
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Founders Notes gives you the superpower to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. You can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. Get access to Founders Notes here.
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“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — Gareth
Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast
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Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work. Get access to Founders Notes here.
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“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — Gareth
Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast
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