In Friday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors, Kobe Bryant ruptured his Achilles tendon. The surgery he is scheduled to have today could keep him out 6-9 months.
Knowing what is on the horizon, Bryant took to Facebook last night to vent his thoughts and feelings. There was anger, and doubt. There was self-pity followed by an apology and awareness of that self-pity. There was over magnification of the problem, followed by awareness that there are far greater challenges in the grand scheme of things. There was reconciliation that while not today, a new day would dawn, and the fight would begin again. And that he would be ready for it.
If I could sum up all that was in Kobe’s vent in one word, it would be… humanity.
You see, one day Kobe Bryant will be in the hall of fame. His number will be retired by one of the most storied franchises in all of sports, the Los Angeles Lakers. They will likely erect a statue of him outside of the Staples Center. As a basketball player, Bryant, possesses otherworldly abilities, drive, and determination that wannabe athletes like myself can only dream about having.
Too oftentimes we hear great athletes, leaders and entertainers talk about never having any doubts, and always knowing what an outcome would be. That is not real. It is not human.
I can’t remember where I read or heard this, but a saying goes, in the absence of fear there can be no courage. Fear, doubt, these are natural responses to the obstacles strewn along our paths no matter what our journey, and no matter we are trying to do. How do we deal with them? Do focus on the problem? The solution? Focus on what is unfair and use it as an excuse to give up? Or do we fight on no matter what? The internal dialogue we have, the doubts and fear are not a weakness. How we deal with them, whether we give in to them or fight on is what says a lot more about who we are.
By exposing his vulnerability in his vent, Bryant showed us that a superstar can have these thoughts and feelings as well. They are normal and no one should be ashamed of having them. It is a far better example to set and be followed then one of false bravado stating there was never any doubt.
In other words, if those we deify or worship can have doubts and make it, maybe in whatever it is I’m doing, it is also okay to have doubts. And you know what? I can pick myself up and overcome them too. As opposed to the illusion and dynamic that stars never have doubts, I do, therefore I have no hope.
Good luck in your recovery Black Mamba! I’m confident you will rise again. And as it is said in many groups of many intentions… Thank you for sharing…
