Kobe Byrant is at a reflecting time in his life. After finally retiring after a legendary 20 year career, he is at the point where is looking forward to his future, but also reminiscent about his past failures and challenges. In an open letter on the Player’s Tribune, Kobe Bryant directs his attention to himself. A younger 17-year-old Kobe Bryant.
Kobe writes:
Dear 17-year-old self,
When your Laker dream comes true tomorrow, you need to figure out a way to invest in the future of your family and friends. This sounds simple, and you may think it’s a no-brainer, but take some time to think on it further.
I said INVEST.
I did not say GIVE.
Let me explain.
Kobe went on to explain that instead of giving every materialistic thing you have to your friends and family and letting them live life care-free, you should invest in their own dreams. Build their careers and their lives to help them grow individually. The black Mamba does not seem regretful in this letter, instead he seems inspired to make a change, and look for ways to invest in the future of his own friends & family.
Purely giving material things to your siblings and friends may appear to be the right decision. You love them, and they were always there for you growing up, so it’s only right that they should share in your success and all that comes with it. So you buy them a car, a big house, pay all of their bills. You want them to live a beautiful, comfortable life, right?
But the day will come when you realize that as much as you believed you were doing the right thing, you were actually holding them back.
Use your success, wealth and influence to put them in the best position to realize their own dreams and find their true purpose. Put them through school, set them up with job interviews and help them become leaders in their own right. Hold them to the same level of hard work and dedication that it took for you to get to where you are now, and where you will eventually go.
I’m writing you now so that you can begin this process immediately, and so that you don’t have to deal with the hurt and struggle of weaning them off of the addiction that you facilitated. That addiction only leads to anger, resentment and jealousy from everybody involved, including yourself.
Kobe articulates his words well, pointing out that he will begin his own process immediately. The mamba evolution still continues, even when he doesn’t do it on a basketball court.
