Pat Mixon - The Kobe Code: Eight Principles For Success — An Insiders Look into Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryants Warrior Life & the Code He Lives By

THE KOBE CODE

Eight Principles ForSuccess

An Insiders Look into Los AngelesLaker

Kobe Bryants Warrior Life & theCode He Lives By

BY PAT MIXON

Copyright 2010 by Pat Mixon - AllRights Reserved

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To Kelly,

Youve taught me the most importantPrinciple in life of all.

Thank you for your love.

TABLE OFCONTENTS

This is an unauthorized look at KobeBryant and therefore, I want to set out from the tip-off that Kobein no way had any direct involvement with this book. However, Ihave done my best to get it right, really stick to the letter, staytrue to the core of the man, and keep the recordstraight.

This book came about because I foundKobe to be one of the most intriguing and fascinating athletes ofany time. I kept asking the question: what is he doing that isseparating him from the rest of the pack? What is going on bothphysically and mentally with this superstar that creates suchexcellence?

And, I wanted to know what reallydrives him, where that hunger and intensity was derived. Lastly, Iwanted to know if his perception by the media was right or wrong.My discovery will surprise you.

While I have researched and pulledfrom a variety of sources, this book is a culmination of all theinterviews and quotes Kobe has given over the years. The principlesI will outline are only examples drawn from either Kobes life orsituations he has encountered but they are powerful and emergedduring my research as recurring themes or approaches that I foundKobe using or talking about in his life.

Often, our sports stars are put onpedestals and marketed as heroes. That is because what they do on abasketball court is extraordinary. But these are real people.Please dont forget that. They are not supermen.

In writing this book, I learned thatKobe Bryant is human. He achieves and he fails. He succeeds and hemakes mistakes. But, he is to be applauded for the way heapproaches his life. He truly embodies a warriorsheart.

And, Kobe is one of the mostmisunderstood athletes of our time. I really didnt realize thedepth of this misperception by the public, and the mediaparticularly, until I researched this book. Hopefully, The KobeCode will shine a light onto Kobes true nature, provide a newlevel of understanding, and possibly even change someopinions.

No matter what, basketball fans areprivileged to have him play and like the great gladiators Kobeidolizes, he too wont be around forever. This is a rare player andan even rarer human being. He walks with courage and lives hispassion. I want to really make sure that this point isnt missed.Whether you love or loathe him, Kobe is special and we are blessedto watch him play the sport he deeply loves.

It is no coincidence that I ended upwriting this book. My favorite movie of all-time isGladiator. I still write often while listening to itssoundtrack. And, I very much value the gladiator mentality and,most importantly, I truly believe that excellence is an attitudeand a way of being. To me, Kobe is one of only a handful ofindividuals in the spotlight today that I feel really walks thewalk. It was a privilege to learn more about him and his approachto everything he does.

So, enjoy all these insights into KobeBryant. If you take away even one small point from this book to usein your own life, I have accomplished my goal.

Carpe Diem.

Pat Mixon

September 2010

Strength & Honor. Not just wordsfrom the movie, Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe, but acode that NBA player and Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant seemsto live by. The mantra is even on his website. And, he signs allhis fan letters this way.

That's because Kobe embodieseverything that makes a real warrior. He possess the talent and themindset but also the determination to win the war. He treats eachgame like a battle, each possession a skirmish. He is bothmethodical and spontaneous.

Veni. Vedi. Vici.

That phrase is Latin for I came, Isaw, I conquered. More words the warrior Kobe follows. Thesephrases are insights into Kobes true nature, possibly principlesthat guide him, and the warriors path he walks every day of hislife. This is the essence of this book.

Kobe trains like a real Gladiator,pushing his work ethic beyond anything the NBA has ever seen. He ismore than dedicated, owing his grit to becoming a legend. He is attimes a solo hero, a James Bond or Jason Bourne, fighting againstall comers. And, Kobe has his own motivations for feeling thisway.

He approaches the latest game asanother night in a deadly engagement. A playoff series is all-outwar.

That is why Kobe plays like he lives,a Gladiator in the arena, the loser thrown to the lions. Koberefuses to neither go quietly nor roll over. He has an unquenchedthirst that drives him, fuels the eternal fire in his belly.Theres a reason for this hunger which you will soonlearn.

Like a solider, he is committed tototal warfare, leaving everything on the battlefield. This is ascorch the earth mentality. Fans are left to wonder how he can beso focused, so determined, so lost in the moment.

We are bewildered when a comedian likeChris Rock makes jokes at Kobe during a home game and the warriorstares into space, completely immersed, entirely focused, hearingnothing.

But Kobe has his most secret weapon ofall: he lives like a modern day warrior.

He lives in the present, knowing eachmoment, each opportunity may be his last. He trains like a rookieand prepares like a benchwarmer wanting true minutes.

No one views more tape than Kobe. Hewatches current players and studies the legends from eras past,always with an eye for gaining the slightest edge. And, nothinggets by him.

Hes always looking, searching forsomething more, some tendency, some new wrinkle to add to hisarsenal.

He is that General always assessingfor the weakness, the master strategist calculating each minutedetail. He is the foot solider, willing to barrel forward withbrute force in the face of certain death.