What Swimmers Can Learn From An NBA GOAT

In a previous article, we dove into the three primary fears holding swimmers and coaches back – the fear of failure, fear of judgment, and fear of success. This week we take a closer look at failure and judgment from the perspective of Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

If you have heard anything about Kobe, you probably know that his work ethic, leadership skills, and mindset were unparalleled. Hence, why he achieved such profound greatness.

One quality of Kobe that helped him excel so much faster than others was his courage to try new things without getting hung up on what others might think.

He knew that in order to play at the level he wanted to he had to grow FAST. He would watch other players for skills he didn’t have and would practice those skills to see if they could make him a more effective player too. Kobe was like a sponge.

“What separates great players from all-time great players is their ability to self-assess, diagnose weaknesses, and turn those flaws into strengths.” – Kobe Bryant

It’s natural to feel anxiety or fear around the judgment of others, but how we embrace that and move forward on our own path is handled very differently. Kobe would take action immediately in his attempt to learn a new skill, move, or shot whereas others may have waited longer to try, afraid of being judged if they failed.

“When it came to basketball, I had no fear. What I mean by that is: if I wanted to implement something new into my game, I’d see it and try incorporating it immediately. I wasn’t scared of missing, looking bad, or being embarrassed. That’s because I always kept the end result, the long game, in my mind. I always focused on the fact that I had to try something to get it, and once I got it, I’d have another tool in my arsenal. If the price was a lot of work and a few missed shots, I was OK with that.” – Kobe Bryant

Like all great athletes, Kobe held on tight to his vision and dreams knowing he was in it for the long game. He knew that in order to achieve his greatness, he would need to make mistakes focusing on himself rather than what others might think of him.

Swimmers battle fears every day. Sometimes these fears, such as looking bad or embarrassing ourselves, are rooted in the past. To achieve our greatness even one percent more we must let go of these mental blocks and focus on what is truly important to us – improving our greatness.

Be relentless in your pursuit of greatness by trying new things. How long has your coach been telling you, “You need to get out in front of your competition from the start!” or “your stroke hasn’t changed in the last six months!”. You will never get better if you continue to do the same things you always have.

For some, stagnancy has been days, others months. The sooner you commit to making a change or trying something new and stop caring about what others think, the faster you will reach your next level of greatness.

If you false start, mess up a turn, or die in a race because you need to improve your race strategy, in the words of Kobe remind yourself, “I’m OK with that.” Remember the long game.

Don’t wait to be great. Get out there and do something about those fears holding you back.

Pro Tip: Make a ‘Skills to Build’ list. If you have fifty things you’re trying to get better at in every stroke, write them down. Think you see something your teammate does that you don’t but that could make you faster? Write it down. Make a checklist and a plan to attack each skill, review a few before practice, and update it as you grow.