The Greatest to Ever Do it Part 1: Kobe Bryant

You should always strive to be the best at everything you do. Don't take any prisoners and never, ever let someone tell you they are better than you at anything. Many might say I'm arrogant for thinking this way, but here's how I see it. My competitive spirit extends into every arena of my life--it dictates my approach to each and every challenge I come across. Muhammad Ali said "I'm the greatest. I said that before I even knew I was" and went on to become the single greatest athlete ever. His mind was already wired to believe he was the best. That became an undeniable truth to him. From there his brain automatically worked to support his positive self image. I'm reading Psycho-Cybernetics now, an excellent book that talks about developing positive self images and how your mind acts to fulfill those beliefs without compromise. You should pick it up. Because I see no task as impossible and believe myself to be capable of doing any and all things, I'm able to cultivate a personality that accepts challenges, values learning and knowledge, and it's wired in me to always separate myself from the masses.


That was the premise for this new series of post-- The Greatest To Ever Do It.Each Week I'll post material on one of my role models and discuss why I try to model my self image after their own. I'll discuss how they demonstrate the power of purpose and confidence in life.




Ok, Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge sports fan. Quite frankly, it's been a dream of mine to be able to play professional football (of course this will never happen lol) And basketball has been a hobby of mine for some years. I'd say I'm decent, but honestly when you're on, you're on.

But on to my point, this week's entry is on the Black Mamba, the assassin Kobe Bryant. He epitomizes hard work and determination and though he's had to deal with haters and a few mistakes in life, his drive to be the best took him from a High School phenom to one of the best to ever do it on the court. Recently he won his first championship as the leader of his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, climbing from the bottom of the barrel after three championships playing behind Shaq and now he's on top again. He's dedicated himself to perfecting every facet of his game and is widely regarded as the best all around player in today's NBA. When he's on the court, he dominates and that's all there is to it. He has no heart when it comes to competition and his sole purpose is to win. He doesn't live by the philosophy "give it your best and win or lose, you'll be happy". HE WANTS TO WIN. That's how I feel about what I do. Whether it's Scrabble, a pick up game of basketball, a writing contest, applying to college, a class I'm taking, doesn't matter--in my mind, I believe I can do that task better than anyone and will do all I can to confirm that belief. If you're not a kobe fan after watching these vids, something is wrong.

The Art of Confidence (An Ode to Excellence)

To look in someone's eyes and tell them you're the shit. With not an ounce of regret, never backing down from an endless waltz to stardom. I can't say enough about those individuals who see their presence as the key to the nation's indignant rise to power and ultimately the base of its downfall. Try looking in the mirror and seeing someone else for a change. Not yourself, but the ones who gave you the right to say you're better. That ability is nothing without the knowledge of truth and the realization that better isn't necessarily indicative of relevant qualities. Qualities such as the ability to see clearly and apply lessons to life, "street smartz" and all that jazz is what really makes up an all around person.

But then you humble yourself. Suddenly all those people who hated you for being an asshole run you clean the fuck over and have no mercy in telling you that you should have made more of yourself. Who the hell are you to tell me I should have been greater? That my life isn't what it should be? Unfortunately I see this problem a lot these days. People getting caught up in what others think and losing that cutthroat attitude, that belief that they can outperform anybody, they lose their source of motivation. They lose the confidence necessary to overcome life's obstacles. They can't exist knowing that they have underachieved.


So how do you solve this issue. Asshole or asinine? Easy. Asshole. I'd pick being an overconfident jack over a pathetic walking sob story any day. THe time it takes to cultivate the true asshole is really admirable. Dedication to the cause of being the best 24 hours a day, doing everything in your power to achieve fame, not caring who's there to try to tell you you aren't "that" significant. No, I really AM the shit. That simple. Don't settle for less because you step on a few toes here and there and you may take it personally if someone doesn't like you because you're doing something to show them constantly that you are and will not be a failure. This reassurance is necessary for people like us. better believe, the assholes have more fun in life. They enjoy themselves for the sake of itself. They learn to love quicker, admiring their own positive qualities and overstating them. They make it painfully obvious that they will not be victims of circumstance. They control any and everything in existence, employing the powers of manipulation and crude honesty and humor to move people. Persuasion is so much easier nowadays because lesser folk can't fathom my thoughts, so they agree to them unwittingly. I call them pathetic to their faces and they believe me. Humble fools really.

The moral of the story is simple. Being wary to people's feelings is overrated and opens the door for failure. Maybe you can be nice and successful at the same time. If so, more power to you. But the other 95 percent of us will continue to aggravate, irritate, and remind people that we demand their attention and it is the focal point of our lives. I won't be anybody's bitch anymore. I won't care about your feelings or give a damn if you judge me. I'm the shit and I don't care what anybody has to say about it.

Sincerely, Rico