3 Money Lessons and Quotes from Kobe Bryant

• Kobe Bryant's "Mamba Mentality" helped him succeed greatly in many of his endeavors, on and off the court.
• Before his death, Bryant had accumulated an estimated net worth of $500 million.
• Kobe believed in teaching people how to be better with money versus giving financial handouts. 

The world has continued to mourn the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant after he passed in a helicopter crash with eight others, including his daughter Gianna Bryant. While most people know him for sports, Kobe was much more than one of the greatest ever to play the game of basketball. He was an Oscar winner for his short film, "Dear Basketball," he founded a venture capital firm, and most importantly, he was a "girl dad" to four beautiful girls. 

Kobe's known "Mamba Mentality" has long been admired by many off the court while feared by many on the court. His "Mamba Mentality" mindset helped him succeed greatly in many of his endeavors, even off the court. Although his legacy as a superstar basketball paper is solidified, there are also a legacy, lessons, and a blueprint Kobe left for people striving for a better financial future. 

Invest in People’s Dreams, Don’t Just Give them Money

"Help people, help themselves."

- Kobe Bryant, CNBC (2017)

Kobe Bryant was one of the top-paid players in the NBA and accumulated an estimated net worth of $600 million. He was no stranger to hard work and had helped numerous people using his knowledge, skills, and money. In an interview with CNBC, Kobe Bryant was asked about his biggest money mistake. 

He responded, "Always making sure that the money that you have, you don't give handouts to people that you're close with. How do you use the money that you have to help them help themselves? That's the biggest lesson I've learned, and that's the biggest lesson I can give to the next generation of athletes that are coming out. You don't give handouts; you simply help them, help themselves. The money you have, how do you put them in a position to learn better themselves and things of that nature." 

Editorial credit: plavi011 / Shutterstock.com

Never Stop Learning

 "To grow, you have to constantly learn." 

- Kobe Bryant, CNBC (2016)

Bryant is a five-time NBA champion. He's won numerous titles, yet he maintained his humility and was a student of the game. When the interviewer asked him on CNBC, how can you be so humble? Kobe's responded, "We have to constantly learn, that's why our mantra is 'value growth' because to grow, you have to constantly learn, you have to constantly move, you have to constantly improve. That's the key; that's what makes life fun, I think." 

In 1998, Kobe, only 19 years old, played in a playoff game against the Utah Jazz. Kobe needed to hit the game-winning shot but ended up air balling, causing the Lakers to lose in overtime. Instead of using the failure to feel bad for himself, Kobe practiced the entire summer to improve his skills and shot selection.

By the end of his career, he was known to handle pressure better than anyone else, and made 36 game-winning shots, with the final one being against the Utah Jazz. Kobe is a shining example of how you can reap the benefits of constantly improving yourself. 

Find Your Passion

"What is my passion? Not where I can generate the most revenue."

- Kobe Bryant, Interview with CNBC (2016)

We can all have a goal to get more money, but without passion behind our drive, our efforts are futile. In this CNBC interview, Kobe was asked to give financial advice to the next generation of athletes. He stated, "Once you retire, you don't have that source of income that's coming in. So even if you save over a 15-year career, if you're spending habits remain the same, eventually that well is going to run dry. Unfortunately, for us athletes, the retirement age is 32, 34, if you're lucky, 37 like myself. What comes next? The questions need to be, 'What comes next?' 'What can I do?' What is my passion?' Not where can I create the most value or generate the most revenue, but what is my next passion? When you find that next passion, everything else will make sense. But that's the hardest part for us." 

Strong Work Ethic Creates Success

Kobe Bryant was dedicated to his craft which allowed him to maintain his success on the basketball court. While other players would go out and have fun, Kobe would stay in the gym. His work and perseverance made him have a relentless work ethic, which is why many NBA players looked up to him and also the reason why he was much better than the majority of NBA players.

The Money Wrap-Up

Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mindset of always learning new skills and constantly improving became one of his greatest life lessons. He had the type of work ethic that many people dreamed of. Whether it was his drive on the court to play with a 102-degree fever or off the court by founding a multimedia company, there was always something to be learned from Kobe Bryant. By implementing Kobe’s lessons and his work ethic in your life, you will surely start to drastic improvements in your life.
 

Main Image and Thumbnail Editorial Credit: plavi011 / Shutterstock.com