Kobe Bryant was an all-time great. He had a successful career and remains revered as one of the best basketball players ever.

He intimidated his competition with his work effort. He inspired his teammates in the same way.

You may know that he died tragically in a helicopter crash in 2020. But his legend remains.

He had the nickname Black Mamba. A mamba is a fast-moving, deadly snake. Bryant liked the reputation of having the competitive mindset of a “killer.”

I saw these characteristics of the mamba mindset:

• Passion – Do what you love.
• Obsession – Get better every single day.
• Relentlessness – Outwork your potential.
• Fearlessness – Put yourself out there and go for it, no excuses.
• Resilience – Enjoy the road, especially when it’s a hard one.

I’ve been watching and mentoring some young men for a couple of years. I think they would benefit by having a bit more mamba in them. How about you?