IN PURSUIT OF MASTERY: A Tribute to KOBE Bryant.

The human race lost, in Kobe Bryant, one of its greatest ambassadors, advocates and examples of a life lived in pursuit of mastery.

Most of us are inspired and lured to such a life by the limelight, accolades, money and fame. But because we are oblivious to what it really takes, we give up once reality sets in.

Our heroes make greatness look so effortless that we have no other choice but to believe it’s reserved for a chosen few. Some even intentionally hide the messy and painful process because it adds mystic to their talents and thus yields even bigger adulation.

In a world where instant gratification and fame are celebrated as the norms and not the exceptions, where effortless perfection is endlessly featured on our timelines, Kobe was reintroducing the honesty of a life lived in pursuit of mastery.

He was reminding us that overnight successes are fables. Exceptions at best.

Kobe was teaching us that mastery is a virtue not a destination. It’s a way to be. A way to live. A way of demanding the best of ourselves each day — regardless of where we apply that disciplined and relentless drive, or where becoming the best version of ourselves leads us.

In doing so, he reminded us that although we can’t control the outcome, we have complete control over the amount of effort, discipline, grit, love and generosity we bring into our respective crafts.

With every step forward, every breakthrough; every time we silence our fears, override the voice in our heads, tune out the critics; get back up after a devastating loss; go one set, one mile or one rep further than we thought possible, we discover the unbounded and limitless nature of our human spirit.

Ultimately, Kobe was teaching us that it’s the fragrance of a life lived in pursuit of mastery, not the victories along the way, that turns this journey into the most beautiful reward.