He’s no longer with us, but his light lives on in the heart of millions.

Kobe Bryant - an icon of the world of sports and one of the greatest NBA players of all-time died on Sunday in a helicopter crash.

As a man for whom family was everything, I know his last thoughts were not of himself, but of protecting his daughter (who tragically also died with him), and the family he leaves behind…

Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives.

Kobe embraced life. He demonstrated a commitment to excellence that we can all strive for and have, so long as they are willing to pay the price.

To show up.

To do the work.

That’s why anytime I meet someone who is exceptional at anything, I’m not starstruck. I know they have done the work. I become incredibly curious to discover what they know.

If you take the time to study the mindset of this legend, you can see how his thoughts and attitudes elevated him to create greatness.

What would become possible for you, if you accepted one or more of the following thoughts as utterly true for you?

What’s different about what you choose and what you do, once you’ve made these beliefs your own…

Here are 7 of my favorite Kobe Bryant quotes to help get you started.

“There’s a choice that we have to make as people, as individuals. If you want to be great at something there is a choice you have to make. We can all be masters at our craft, but you have to make a choice. What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that.“

“The best way to prove your value is to work. Is to learn, is to absorb, is to be a sponge.

Always ask questions. I want to find out. I want to see. I’m going to do what I always do: I’m going to break it down to its smallest form, smallest detail, and go after it. Day by day, one day at a time.”

“Confidence comes from preparation. When the game is on the line, I’m not asking myself to do something that I haven’t done a thousand times before. Confidence come from preparation!”

“Never limit your imagination or what you think is possible. If we don’t think things are possible, how in the world can we inspire people?”

“The greatest fear that we face is ourselves… it’s not anything external. It’s yourself, because we all have dreams and it’s very scary sometimes to accept the dream you have and it’s scarier still to say; I WANT THAT!

It’s scary because you are afraid that if you put your heart and soul into it and you fail then how are you going to feel about yourself? Being fearless means putting yourself out there and going for it, no matter what. Not for anybody else, but for yourself.”

“I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I'm like, 'My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don't have it. I just want to chill.' We all have self-doubt. You don't deny it, but you also don't capitulate to it. You embrace it.”

“Can I jump over two or three guys like I used to? No. Am I as fast as I used to be? No, but I still have the fundamentals and smarts. That's what enables me to still be a dominant player. As a kid growing up, I never skipped steps. I always worked on fundamentals because I know athleticism is fleeting.”

Kobe's attitude was remarkable - it’s what made him great. It’s what fueled his tireless effort to constantly improve and accomplish great things.

Interested in absorbing the mindset of a champion?

Then watch the video below.

Kobe drops so many insights for those who listen deeply…

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