Kobe's Letter To His 17 Year Old Self

jbiggs · Jul 20, 2016

Mods please delete this if you feel its necessary...i posted this in the Kobe thread but after reading it a number of times I felt it was good enough to stand as its own thread.
again though, do what you feel is right

Kobe's letter to his younger self

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/kobe-bryant-letter-to-my-younger-self/

Dear 17-year-old self,

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.

I said INVEST.

I did not say GIVE.

Let me explain.

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?

But the day will come when you realize that as much as you believed you were doing the right thing, you were actually holding them back.

You will come to understand that you were taking care of them because it made YOU feel good, it made YOU happy to see them smiling and without a care in the world — and that was extremely selfish of you. While you were feeling satisfied with yourself, you were slowly eating away at their own dreams and ambitions. You were adding material things to their lives, but subtracting the most precious gifts of all: independence and growth.

Understand that you are about to be the leader of the family, and this involves making tough choices, even if your siblings and friends do not understand them at the time.

Invest in their future, don’t just give.

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.

I’m writing you now so that you can begin this process immediately, and so that you don’t have to deal with the hurt and struggle of weaning them off of the addiction that you facilitated. That addiction only leads to anger, resentment and jealousy from everybody involved, including yourself.

As time goes on, you will see them grow independently and have their own ambitions and their own lives, and your relationship with all of them will be much better as a result.

There’s plenty more I could write to you, but at 17, I know you don’t have the attention span to sit through 2,000 words.

The next time I write to you, I may touch on the challenges of mixing blood with business. The most important advice I can give to you is to make sure your parents remain PARENTS and not managers.

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.

Your life is about to change, and things are about to come at you very fast. But just let this sink in a bit when you lay down at night after another nine-hour training day.

Trust me, setting things up right from the beginning will avoid a ton of tears and heartache, some of which remains to this day.

Much love,

Kobe
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gcclaker · Jul 20, 2016

Skimmed through the letter... I remember 24 having troubles with his family about how he supported them, then they wanted more and when they could not get more, tried to auction his memorabilia that he entrusted them with. Something along those lines... Well written and thoughtful...

alam1108 · Jul 20, 2016

Wonder if he will turn this into a series since he says theres a lot more he would have to say. Good stuff though and applies to even us regular people when you are the first in the family to have a high paying job.

therealdeal · Jul 20, 2016

Like I said in the other thread: He have a lot of leeches? I know about his parents and I know they had some issues, but I don't remember reading much about friends and hanger-ons holding him back Iverson style.

But then again I forgot what I had for breakfast today, so I don't remember much.

gcclaker · Jul 20, 2016

therealdeal said: ↑

Like I said in the other thread: He have a lot of leeches? I know about his parents and I know they had some issues, but I don't remember reading much about friends and hanger-ons holding him back Iverson style.

But then again I forgot what I had for breakfast today, so I don't remember much.
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There was also reports of how 24 supported his wife's family particularly the stepfather and mother. Houses, cars...the usual jazz. Maybe it could be about his own sisters too. Goes to show, if you enable people, they'll do nothing themselves and end up dependent.

jbiggs · Jul 20, 2016

alam1108 said: ↑

Wonder if he will turn this into a series since he says theres a lot more he would have to say. Good stuff though and applies to even us regular people when you are the first in the family to have a high paying job.
Click to expand...

I hope he continues with it...he did say "the next time i write to you".

and you're right, this def applies to all of us non high paid athletes out there. there are many who have to deal with these same issues albeit likely on a smaller scale

we all know this and have said it before, but damn for a guy who never went to college he is just so intelligent and well written.

therealdeal · Jul 20, 2016

gcclaker said: ↑

There was also reports of how 24 supported his wife's family particularly the stepfather and mother. Houses, cars...the usual jazz. Maybe it could be about his own sisters too. Goes to show, if you enable people, they'll do nothing themselves and end up dependent.
Click to expand...

There you go. I hadn't remembered that. Yikes. I wonder what prompted the letter now though.

gcclaker · Jul 20, 2016

jbiggs said: ↑

I hope he continues with it...he did say "the next time i write to you".

and you're right, this def applies to all of us non high paid athletes out there. there are many who have to deal with these same issues albeit likely on a smaller scale

we all know this and have said it before, but damn for a guy who never went to college he is just so intelligent and well written.
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Bryant was raised around culture in Italy and lived a suburbian life Stateside. As intelligent as he is, those could have factored in how he developed his eloquence and grace.

Punk-101 · Jul 20, 2016

Let me edit out the unnecessary stuff for those too lazy.

Dear family leeches,

Stop asking me for money. I'll try to explain it in a passive-aggressive way so you'll hopefully understand.

Much love,

Kobe
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therealdeal · Jul 20, 2016

Punk-101 said: ↑

Let me edit out the unnecessary stuff for those too lazy.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I read.

John3:16 · Jul 20, 2016

At one time, Iverson had 44 people on his payroll. He told his bodyguard, "you're the only person I pay that has a job." Bodyguard replies, "that's Fd up." Iverson replied, "no, Fd up is where they'd be without me."

I wonder where they are now.

Alcindor · Jul 20, 2016

Or just buy the book: "How Da Hell I'm 'Posed To Feed a Family On 21mil Over 3 Years?" - by Latrell Sprewell

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Kobe's Letter To His 17 Year Old Self

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