At J2, one of our core values is Growth and we define it as “Become better and leave people better than yesterday.” While growth is an ongoing process, I believe that overall we do a good job at it.
Over the last few weeks, the world has lost several icons: Clayton Christensen, Harvard professor; Kirk Douglas, movie actor and Kobe Bryant, elite basketball player. The common factor that these three individuals share is that they each have made a huge impact in their respective fields, and each of them strove to continually improve themselves and the people around them.
Kobe had a life philosophy he defined as “The Mamba Mentality”. When asked during an interview to describe it, he stated, “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 be better today than you were yesterday.”
In reading about Kobe, it is clear that he believed in the Mamba Mentality, and like basketball, he was passionate about it. There are stories about him showing up at 5AM for a 7AM practice so he could get in some additional work. Despite getting that head start in the morning, he would often continue to practice until 7PM even if the practice ended at 5PM. That level of dedication is why he is considered one of the best, just like Jiro Ono, the sushi master.
That dedication, hard work, sweat, and sacrifice is the recipe for success in any field, and the ingredients often come together only after years of commitment. When someone is touted as an overnight success, that “overnight” was probably years in the making. Our growth at J2 is a daily commitment, like Kobe, to try to be the best version of ourselves each day and to leave others better along the way.
“Be willing to sacrifice anything, but compromise nothing in your quest to be your best.” – Kobe Bryant
What do you apply The Mamba Mentality to?
Vijay