Tag: mamba monday
LESSON OF THE WEEK: What We Can Learn from LeBron James’ Career (Act V)

LESSON OF THE WEEK: What We Can Learn from LeBron James’ Career (Act V)

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The Last Ride?: Nah, The Job is NEVER Finished

“I am reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward, I reflect with a purpose”. -Kobe Bryant

So here we are, back to 2020 where LeBron James has returned to the pinnacle of his success. Easy ride? Not so much, but he’s made it. Relocating to Los Angeles to presumably finish his career had a lot of people acknowledging the end of an uncommon career. LeBron might only have 3-5 more years they said, he’s about to begin the inevitable decline. Why was he here.. To make movies? Be closer to business associates? Tired of those painstaking midwestern winters? Maybe to put the Kobe or even Jordan comparisons to bed? I believe it was a little of all those things, but ultimately, I believe LeBron came to Los Angeles for a new mission. A mission on the farthest outskirts of the comfort zone, because the ‘greatest’ must always have a new mission prepared. Sure, the ‘decline’ is inevitable, but the mission must stay in tact despite that fate. In 2009, Kobe Bryant was on the cusp of a fourth championship, the first without Shaquille O’Neal. When asked postgame if he was happy with being two games away from another championship, Kobe simply gave a champion’s response. He infamously said, “What is there to be happy about? The job’s not finished”. In 2020, that mantra was shared by the Lakers in their championship run. This season (and year) was irregular for many reasons, and gave us all a reason not to be happy either: First, Kobe Bryant was gone. Second, the world was frozen in carbon because of a worldwide pandemic. Lastly, Americans were (and still are) caught in the crossfires of social warfare due to irresponsibilities and ignorance. Now, imagine if LeBron’s decision two years prior was made within the comfort zone, no new mission considered? He never imagined these circumstances to occur, the black swan appeared in the middle of what was supposed to be a clear pathway. Accept the decline, and ride into the California sunset.

It is critical to be intentional with our mission preparation, and to practice misfortune while moving through it. Practice what we fear, befriend our anxiousness, because when the going really gets tough; we’ll be one step ahead of it. Stoicism and other philosophies share a common maxim that has deeply resonated with me: Amor Fati. It means that was must be in love with our fate, treating every moment as a necessary battle to ensure victory in the greater war. This is why we practice the misfortune, take the path of greater resistance, meditate on our aim, and make time to have the hard conversations with ourselves. Imagine if LeBron had not been intentional with any of these in 2020, or even in 2018; his fate may have trajected much differently. Prepare early, endure during, admire later. This conceives the substance of Kobe Bryant’s favorite mentor phrase: “Rest at the end”. All essences of our fate are inevitable anyways, why not give it all we have now? We always have another mission, and the enemy is always watching, waiting to attack in your rest. Never be finished, always he starting. What lies ahead on the path, is already waiting for your seizing. This current fate is not what any of us expected, but we can still be intentional with our mission through it all. For the remainder of 2020: do not settle, do not attempt to predict the future, do not sit in anxiousness, do not let ego run rampant, and definitely do not rest. We all have a purpose, a life to fulfill, and a fate to love. With that said, respond by always moving forward, because the job is never finished.
VIRTUE OF THE WEEK: LOVE (WHAT YOU DO)

VIRTUE OF THE WEEK: LOVE (WHAT YOU DO)

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What is your morning routine? Do you even have a morning routine? What is the first impulse your mind has when you wake up in the morning? Do you wake up before dawn or right before noon? Do you have goals for your day or do you go with flow?

The right answer to all of these questions? There is no right answer, however, there is a catch. There are plenty of self help books and motivational messages that will tell you an individual needs that 8 hour sleep, that morning coffee with vitamins and minerals, to wake up at 5 o’clock before anyone else, to be the first in and the last one out. While I agree many of these things are essential, and I have them implemented in my own life; I also understand these “cheat codes for success” aren’t always universal.

What is universal? Love. I’m not necessarily speaking about the traditional concept of love that involves a romance and affection, that love is hopefully a given. The love I’m speaking about is both a feeling and an action, developed by being in love with commitment and the process towards results.

Mark Twain once uttered “The law of work seems unfair, but nothing can change it; the more enjoyment you get out of your work, the more riches you will make”.

While Twain is mainly referencing money, I believe he may of intentionally shared a type of allegory that expands farther and deeper than monetary wealth. Ultimately, we are all underpaid, as the true value of the work we put in isn’t all accounted for in our paychecks. This is where love matters, as love can accrue as a form of currency that makes up for the taxation you’ll never see come back to your bank account. The late legend Kobe Bryant in a 2018 interview shared on Lewis Howes’ “School of Greatness” what love meant to him personally. While Kobe recognized that traditional love can equate to happiness, he gives love the analogy of a storm. He said “Things are never perfect, but through love you can continue to persevere (and weather the storm)..”

This is why I tell people that I personally do not believe there is a “love at first sight”. For a rare few, loving is a talent. It is rooted in their DNA to be always be graceful and put others before him in unconditional circumstances. For the majority of people, I would argue that love is a skill and that with any skill you must invest time and energy into the craft if you desire to see improvement. Love is not about merely doing nor feeling; because if you don’t couple them both, love fails.

Starting today, considering refining your skills in love by being committed to the process of improvement. Wake up at whatever hour, but when it’s time to begin your work you ought to be committed to seeing results fueled by your passion. If that is not the case in your career, then you do not love what you do and you are shorting yourself. When at home with your significant other or children, are you taking the time to spend quality moments with them? Or instead,  you may be too distracted by things out of your control, if so you are again shorting your family or friends. Commit and hold investment in improving their day.

The big one, are you committed to loving yourself? No matter how many hours you are awake today or the amount activities you indulge in, be committed to the process and results that come with it. Do not give yourself an out, do not pull out too early on your investment, and do not fold when things get tough. Have goals or go with the flow, just be committed.

Love what you do, and love will find you.