While we got to know Kobe Bryant over the course of his 20-year career, it was mostly through his playing on the court. It hasn’t been until his retirement that we’ve seen more sides of the Black Mamba that he kept to his close circle of friends and family.
Today, Kobe posted a letter to his 17-year old self on The Player’s Union, not only as a glimpse of what he went through during his time in the NBA off the court, but as a lesson to all the rookies coming into the league right now.
In the letter, he talked about not giving his family money just to take care of them, but rather so they could realize their own dreams and goals.
When your Laker dream comes true tomorrow, you need to figure out a way to invest in the future of your family and friends. This sounds simple, and you may think it’s a no-brainer, but take some time to think on it further.
Purely giving material things to your siblings and friends may appear to be the right decision. You love them, and they were always there for you growing up, so it’s only right that they should share in your success and all that comes with it. So you buy them a car, a big house, pay all of their bills. You want them to live a beautiful, comfortable life, right?
Use your success, wealth and influence to put them in the best position to realize their own dreams and find their true purpose. Put them through school, set them up with job interviews and help them become leaders in their own right. Hold them to the same level of hard work and dedication that it took for you to get to where you are now, and where you will eventually go.
Not only that, but he spoke on how to deal with parents as he embarked into this journey, why they shouldn’t become managers and saving himself from the heartache and pain of dealing with family once those NBA checks start coming in.
Before you sign that first contract, figure out the right budget for your parents — one that will allow them to live beautifully while also growing your business and setting people up for long-term success. That way, your children’s kids and their kids will be able to invest in their own futures when the time comes.
Bryant also foreshadowed his next post, which will be on mixing family and business together.
OS REWIND: Kobe Bryant Speaks on Final NBA Game, Family & SHAQ
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