Mamba Mentality

As the world mourns the tragic loss of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven other passengers of the fated helicopter that crashed near Calabasas, California on January 26, it occurs to me that we are so fortunate that part of Kobe’s legacy to us is his spirit for living that is best captured in the infamous Mamba Mentality. This mentality, though viewed through the lens of Kobe’s approach to basketball, has applications far beyond the sport.

The Mamba Mentality encompassed Kobe’s relentless passion for basketball and commitment to doing whatever it took to compete at the highest level. This commitment was most obviously demonstrated through his incredible work ethic, which included a rigorous exercise and practice routine. Teammates and coaches recall that Kobe was often first in the gym and last to leave it. He was also known for working on various aspects of his game during the off season, seeking the wise counsel of other NBA legends, whether they played his position or not. He was always looking for new skills to add to his repertoire of explosive moves, even if the opportunity to put the skill in play only happened on a rare occasion.

The Mamba Mentality was more than just a physical commitment; it was a mindset. Kobe had extreme confidence in his ability to do whatever he set his mind to do. This confidence was not rooted in a belief that he already knew all there was to know about competing or that he was just destined to be great. As is evidenced by training with basketball legends, it never occurred to him that he couldn’t learn more. Even after solidifying his status as one of the game’s all-time greats, he was humble enough to recognize his limitations and driven enough to pursue any means for self-improvement.

In spite of any negative circumstance, including what many assumed to be career-ending injuries, he always seemed to find a way to rise above it. He believed he could, and he backed this belief with hard work. He was quoted many times saying that if you want it bad enough, you have to push through, even at times when you don’t feel like doing so. As a result, he never backed down from a challenge. Even if he was not successful, although many times he was, he earned the respect of others because there was no doubting his mental tenacity and athletic prowess.

In the education world, the Mamba Mentality is embodied in what is known as the Growth Mindset. This mindset grew out of research on the human brain and its capabilities. Scientists initially believed that there were certain limits to what we could learn and that the ability to learn diminished with age. It was believed that only certain people were equipped to learn specific things, that they were born with these abilities, and there was nothing others could do to learn these things if they weren’t born with these traits. This is often referred to as a fixed mindset.

Scientists now know that we are capable of learning complex ideas, concepts, and strategies well into our senior years, as long as we put forward effort. To summarize in non-technical terms: Every time we engage our brains, we increase our capacity for learning. Students who have a growth mindset, or the Mamba Mentality, have confidence that they can learn anything, as long as they are willing to put in time and effort. Like Kobe, they don’t back down from challenges and somehow rise above their circumstances.

As we continue to process the tragic death of Kobe Bryant with our children in the coming days, let us use this time as an opportunity to engage them in discussions about how they can embrace the Mamba Mentality in all that they do - in school, in sports, and beyond. Consider reading Kobe’s book, The Kobe Mentality: How I Play, which captures numerous lessons that can be applied to everyday challenges. And for more information on the philosophy and science behind the Growth Mindset, watch this short Ted Talk featuring mindset researcher, Dr. Carol Dweck. Cultivating a Growth Mindset or Mamba Mentality in our children just might be the best gift we could ever give them.