Mamba Mondays | Image

So much of today’s world is driven by social media and the images that we see and create on it. With social media, you can be whatever you what to be, and what you see is the crafted, best version of everyone.

This creates a level of comparison and scrutiny that we have never seen in the history of our world.

Social media has changed everyone's lives, and it has brought difficulties that the modern athlete has to deal with that we didn't when we were growing up. Part of an athlete's journey, and part of growing up and maturing, is learning how to manage your image and how to manage how you handle how other people see you, talk about you, and perceive you.

John Wooden once said, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

Kobe Bryant once said:

"When I was young, my mindset was image, image, image. I took that approach with the media. As I became more experienced, I realized: No matter what, people are going to like you or not like you. So be authentic, and let them like you or not for who you actually are. At that point, I started keeping all of my answers blunt and straight forward. I would mix in some humor and sarcasm, too. I think fans and reporters came to appreciate that; came to appreciate the real me."

One of the biggest lessons to learn in life is how to be yourself and how to be comfortable being yourself. Social media conditions us to compare ourselves to others, but we don't have to. Know who you are, know what makes you happy, and be a good person to others by helping them be happy being themselves.