24

Jack Bauer and you. Despite very different lives, there's one thing you have in common: every day, you have 24 hours to overcome your obstacles and become something greater than you were before.

After this week, and honestly, after the past ten years, whenever I hear the number 24, I think of one thing. That thing isn’t the number of years I've been on earth since September '95 or a hit action show that ran in the early 2000s, that thing isn’t even the 24 hours I have in each day. No, that thing is a the, the late the great, Kobe Bryant.

Sadly this week, we lost Kobe, one of the most famous athletes and highest achievers in modern history. The news was a tough pill to swallow, but I find comfort in remembering he didn't leave us empty-handed. In the aftermath of a great life and career, we still have not only endless highlights of contested jumpers but a concept he called the "Mamba Mentality." In 2016 Kobe explained what this concept meant

"To sum up what Mamba Mentality is, it means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself,"

"That is what the Mentality is…. It's a constant quest to try to better today than you were yesterday."

Ok, let's be real. Growing up, I'm sure we've all heard similar statements and sayings intended to help us strive to be better, but Kobe's legacy wasn't just a motto. We saw him become a model of the constant quest to be great. We witnessed him grow from a teenage rookie air balling not one but four late playoff game shots to dropping sixty points against that same team in his final career game. In between those events, we sat in awe as Kobe went on to win five championships while leading one of the greatest dynasties American sports have ever seen. Even the way he played reminded you of a venomous snake striking until it's prey is lifeless. You know what, I'd bet real money he's dropping seventy points on some poor angel's head as I write these words. Kobe gave us all a visual of what an extreme work ethic can do in every aspect of life. He was not only an all-time great basketball player but a business and family man as well. 

So, here we are, living in a world that no longer has Kobe "Bean" Bryant. If you were to see me the day he passed, you'd think I seemed slightly saddened but altogether pretty standard. If we're being honest, for a minute, I was scared. The passing of a man we knew as "The Black Mamba" frightened me. It served as a scary reminder that none of us are promised the next sunrise. I mean, Kobe died... in a helicopter. That's not supposed to happen. Not like that, not to him. This reality check was discouraging, but then I saw the tributes. I thought to myself how amazing it is that a person solely working to be the best they can be, touched so many others. I just let this stew in my mind for a good full day, then I concluded: the greatest tragedy of seeing greatness like Kobe Bryant come and go, would be for us to see his greatness and not honor it by finding the greatness in ourselves. After all, we have the same 24.