Monday Motivation: Adopting a Mamba Mentality

By Loralyn Mears PhD Loralyn Mears PhD has been verified by Muck Rack's editorial team
Published on February 3, 2020

Monday Motivation, it’s on! We see you, struggling to get your day started and in need of a pick-me-up to launch your week on the right foot. If you’re a podcast person, listen to our Monday Matters content on our Spotify Grit Daily podcast channel. Or read on to get our Monday Motivation quick tips.

Studies show that your morning mood affects your productivity all day. Grit Daily is here to get your work week off to a good start. Pump your fists – it’s time for Monday Motivation!

One week later

The loved ones and fans of the nine people that perished in a helicopter crash last Sunday are going to be feeling the ripple effects of that loss for years and even decades to come. Since that accident, the world has not only mourned the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, GiGi, and the other coaches, parents and aspiring basketball stars, but they’ve also celebrated two of the biggest events of the year. Both the Grammies and the Superbowl rightfully began on a somber note to pay tribute to one of the greatest athletes in history.

“I was unapologetically me. That’s all I ever wanted to be. I was never worried about my reputation – that’s how I earned one. That’s how I became the Black Mamba.” ~Kobe Bryant

The exciting football game and exuberant half-time show at the Superbowl provided the world with a bit of a reprieve from a week of intense mourning. It seems that every blogger, journalist, daily news media outlet and magazine had something to write about. I believe that the outpouring of support and tears runs deeper than the loss of a basketball legend: the world is collectively mourning what could have been.

Tips to have a mamba mentality

Some of our Monday motivation readers may be thinking, “I’m not an athlete and I don’t even like basketball.” Fair enough. But I can guarantee that some of you reading this are startup founders, executives, #girldads and people that are working hard to do better, to be better and to live better. Kobe had messages for every one of you. And every one of us. He inspired us all to be better athletes, better leaders and better human beings.

#1 – follow your heart

Just about every entrepreneur – successful and failed – has said that you need to pursue what you are passionate about. Getting through the good days is tough enough; if you’re not inspired by what you’re doing, you’ll never get through the bad days. Follow your heart. If it seems unattainable, consider it only temporarily unattainable. Put together a step-wise plan that will get you on the path to your passion.

“You don’t want to jump into something if you’re not passionate about it.” ~Kobe Bryant

#2 – don’t be afraid to fail

Failure isn’t a topic that people generally like to talk about. Especially in Monday motivation columns. It’s embarrassing. Awkward. And most of us don’t want to air our failures publicly. Mega-stars like Kobe had their failures publicized from every miss on the court that we watched live to all the bits in the tabloids. Everyone fails. Even legends. But those who learn from their failures and apply those lessons learned are the ones who go on to be successful.

“I’ve practiced and practiced and played so many times. There’s nothing truly to be afraid of, when you think about it. I’ve failed before, and I woke up the next morning, and I’m OK. Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.” ~Kobe Bryant

#3 – rise up, don’t let discouragement bring you down

You’ve failed or you’re floundering. Maybe even repeatedly or for several years. The longer that you’ve been spinning, the tougher it is to untether yourself from all that has discouraged you so that you can prepare to rise up. I’ve been there. Done that. Doing that! Eventually, you reach a point where you realize that you need to break free from what’s holding you back.

Tackle it one step at a time. Right. Left. Right. Left. Put one foot in front of the other. Monday motivation is all about additive and incremental progress. “Overnight success” is anything but. Do one thing, then the next. One, two. One, two. Then just GO FOR IT!

“Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. I’m going to do what I always do: I’m going to break it down to its smallest form, smallest detail, and go after it. Day by day, one day at a time. Haters are a good problem to have. Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones.” ~Kobe Bryant

Who motivates YOU?

This is going to be a short section in our Monday motivation column. I’ll give you one guess … who motivates me? Kobe Bryant.

He not only pushed himself on a relentless path to perfection to “leave the game a legend” but set himself up – and others – for their success. In fact, his second chapter as a #girldad promoting athleticism and equality may ultimately prove to be his greatest. No doubt, his legacy will likely extend off the hardwood court and live on well beyond his untimely death.

Today’s Monday motivation message can be summed up in the title – adopt a mamba mentality.

“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great at whatever they want to do.” ~Kobe Bryant

The lead image was used without permission. The mural was painted in Austin, TX by Laced and Found with help from Snuk One and Riki Loring. The image is credited to Nick Wagner, AP.

By Loralyn Mears PhD Loralyn Mears PhD has been verified by Muck Rack's editorial team

Journalist verified by Muck Rack verified

Dr. Loralyn Mears is a Columnist at Grit Daily and a podcast host (The Grit Files, which aims to shine the spotlight on female founders). She is a content marketer, founder of the WORKtech startup, STEERus, specializing in personal and professional development to address gaps in soft skills - communication in particular. In her consultancy practice, she helps clients with content and strategy. Loralyn spent over a decade playing with mosquito DNA, got her PhD, decided she would rather market science than be at the bench and has never looked back. Along the way, she’s wined and dined her way around the globe. She's authored two books, including the 2018 Gold Medal Indie Book award-winning, One Sip At a Time: a Memoir and the hard science thriller, "The Battle for Humanity: How Science Saved Us." 

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