24 for 24, on 24.

If you know me, there’s two things for sure:

1. My birthday is today - 24th August

2. My hero is Kobe Bryant.

As I turn 24 on this special day (24 of the 8) which are Kobe’s two iconic numbers AND a day after his actual birthday, I would like to share my thoughts surrounding the legacy he has left behind.

Legacy built from the intangible.

Five championship rings. Two Olympic gold medals. Countless game winners. Eighteen all-star appearances. Four all-star MVPs.

For Kobe, the accolades are endless. No Google search will ever do justice to his greatness.

However to me, at least, there was so much more to Kobe than these achievements. Whenever any analyst, fan or commentator hold their occasional GOAT talk, many are quick to use Kobe’s achievements as the measuring stick. Though this is valid, Kobe’s work ethic and demeanour off the court was and will forever be the reason why he’s incomparable to anyone who has stepped on the hardwood.

Mamba mentality we would call it. Most would associate it with his relentless work ethic where he would go extreme lengths to punish his rivals (from learning a whole different language to trash talk in the Olympics to even ripping a photo of Paul Pierce from a magazine and keeping it in his wallet during the offseason), his perseverance to play through excruciating injuries; or his insane focus when it came to clutch moments in big games.

What is often forgotten though is Kobe’s big heart and even bigger smile. Towards the end of his career, many of Kobe’s brightest moments were highlighted by what he did for both the next generation of basketball talent and his children. We saw this through the mentorship to the likes of Devin Booker and Jayson Taytum where he would write small messages on gifted game sneakers, or the coaching of Gigi’s team where he was on a mission to empower women’s basketball.

As the internet became more populated with Kobe Bryant accounts honouring his legacy, the majority of the content were his words of inspiration extracted from interviews right across his life - from his early days in Lower Merion High School up until post retirement.

All of which reflect Kobe’s character and profound and everlasting impact on our lives. No matter your pursuit and no matter your interest in the game of basketball, if you knew Kobe, you were for sure moved by his legacy.

When Kobe passed away, a lot of us all around the world lost an insurmountable figure in our lives. Some lost a source of inspiration, others lost a father figure who in the absence of a real father gave a purpose to those. As the candles lit Staples Centre, all I could think of was that scene from Batman vs Superman where people had honoured Superman for the superhero he was. Such comparison could not be more accurate in my opinion, as I remember feeling upset that the universe stole Kobe from us. He had so much left to offer to the world as he begun his next journey in animated film making.

Before I turned 24, I was motivated to create something. To have something tangible to show for. To prove to myself that indeed am a fan of Kobe. I thought (or rather romanticised) that if I was able to make something of my life learnings on this special day, then I would prove to myself that perhaps I am worthy to be inspired by Kobe. Much of this has culminated with recent success of close peers have triggered my personal imposter syndrome.

Unfortunately, I’ve failed to be what Ray Dalio labels as a “shaper” where one would go from imagination to actualisation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for my friends winning but when you hold yourself to a high standard and your circle then pushes that standard even higher. Their values begin to crystallise through their creations, while I’ve yet to take my goals off the tarmac - making me feel as though theres a discrepancy between me and these high achievers. That perhaps I’m not good enough to be  a part of their journey, because after all what do I have to offer to the table? I suppose it’s a sign of my naive insecurity but I also do believe that it’s also a wake up call.

However, as I have reflected above, I’ve become more self-forgiving and realised that I am more than just my creative works. My character extends beyond just this and should be rooted in qualities such as integrity, compassion and reliability. Things that can't be measured and are often overlooked, especially in the age where wealth and success are measuring sticks for “good character”.

In focusing on Kobe’s demeanour and character off the court, there’s been two key lessons I’m looking to take me during my 24th year.

1. The secret to life (according to Kobe)

When it came to Kobe’s success, many associate it with his relentless perseverance. However, after he retired from basketball, it became clear that such quality was only the tip of the iceberg. His demeanour and stoicism was an extension of his mindfulness, a byproduct of his zen mind which I believe was fostered by the great Phil Jackson.

Through countless views of his interviews, there was one consistent theme - and that was his life advice to:

“Put all your eggs in one basket, and if it doesn't work out, make more eggs.”

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And that’s exactly what I will be striving for in the coming years. Having been familiar with concepts such as “explore and exploit” and the “lalapalooza effect” by Charlie Monger; the idea of going in hard on one thing has been on my mind as of late.

An avid follower of Naval Ravikant, I’m waiting to compound my efforts to something grand and to be proud of…. I believe that this is just around the corner.

2. We are called for personal expression

Kobe was perhaps one of the most eloquent athletes, let alone speakers I have ever listened to. When I watched Dear Basketball, I was in awe of Kobe’s storytelling ability. His vision was to inspire the children of tomorrow, to give them a north star for their development. And so when the world lost him, I felt as though his talents and gifts were shortlived from their potential…

I recently listened to an episode on Modern Wisdom (one of my favourite podcasts) featuring Tiago Cortes. There was an interesting point made around this notion of how all of our occupations regardless of industry, is built upon expression.

Whether you’re an analyst, coder or marketer; your core role is centred around having to express a concept. The language may vary but the crux of having to synthesise your thoughts to then present this to another party remains constant across all domains.

Therefore everyday when we work, we are wired to express.

But what about our individual voices? What about our unique stories?

We spend all this time and effort to express for our jobs, and yet when it comes to ourselves, we neglect it. Perhaps it’s just monetary compensation that pushes us to express but I’m of the opinion that we owe it to ourselves to express ourselves.

By human nature, we thrive on social interaction. There’s no threshold or standard for which how “special” your story needs to be, everyone’s story is equal; which means that there’s no reason not to share yours. And by sharing, I don’t think it’s mandatory to broadcast it to the entire world. And nothing wrong with that, but sharing it with just one or two people is enough. Sharing is still sharing when it leaves the parameters of personal privacy. It goes from something you hold for yourself to something that gets consumed, appreciated, or even criticised by external individuals. No matter what the response is, expressing is something we as humans are obliged to.

Thank you, Kobe.

On behalf of all your fans, I want to thank you Kobe for the impact you’ve made on our lives. The smiles you’ve put on our faces. The focus you’ve engrained into our minds. Thank you for leaving with a legacy that will live on for decades to come. A legacy that will forever touch the hearts of many.