Touch the Line | Mamba Mondays

Kobe Bryant did a Ted Talk for TEDxShanghai where he talked about giving a group of athletes a new pair of shoes; all they had to do was touch the line.

One kid didn’t touch the line, and Kobe talks about how he held the kid accountable and why:

You can’t short-change yourself; you’re not cheating anybody but yourself. You’re tired, but you are literally this far away from the line; why would you not go that extra to touch the line? 

If I let you get away with that, all of a sudden you’ll start to cheat something over here, or not give your best over there. And as years go on, you’re not going to reach your full potential because you’ve been taking these little shortcuts that just add up, add up, add up, add up.

I can’t let that happen. Our job as teachers and mentors and inspirers - it’s our responsibility to hold you accountable to those things.

- Kobe Bryant