Kobe Bryant also known as the 'Black Mamba' possesses the qualities for being successful, but it may not be for the reasons people think. "One of the most successful basketball players of all-time, Bryant has amassed a net worth of more than $200 million during his playing career. And is the winner of five NBA championships and two Olympic Gold Medals" (Clear 1). His external factors that contributed to his success are 10,000 hours of hard work, hidden advantages and, and meaningful work. Malcom Gladwell is the author of the book "Outliers", he talks about how there is more to success than what meets the eye.

In the first place, one of the qualities that Kobe has that determines his success is his 10,000 hours of hard work. Kobe has met …show more content…
Gladwell exclaims, "People don't rise from nothing. We do owe something to parentage and patronage. The people who stand before kings may look like they did it all by themselves. But in fact they are invariably the beneficiaries hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot" (Gladwell 103). What was Kobe's advantage that, apparently, without he wouldn’t be successful? Kobe Bryant was born in 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Kobe Bryant is the son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant. From his high jumping ability and energy on the court, Joe was a force to be reckoned with." (Biography.com editors 1). He also went on to coach ABA and WNBA and now posts instructional videos on his website. Obviously Kobe had a hidden advantage because his dad was good at the game he learned to cherish. Joe says so himself, “It’s helpful…in that our children get to meet or go places where the normal child doesn’t get to go to, meaning that after a game when you’re 10, 11, 12 years old you can go in the locker room and talk to Magic or talk to Kareem or talk to George Gervin or whoever it was,” Joe continues, "You get a chance to go out on the court and shoot around with them and a lot of kids don’t get that opportunity" (Brown 1). So the question has been answered. Kobe Bryant would not have been 'the …show more content…
Kobe didn’t get up early every day and work on his jump shot because he was bored. "He did it because he loves shooting jump shots and along with that he got better" (Milord 1). Gladwell quotes, “It's not how much money we make that ultimately makes us happy between nine and five. It's whether or not our work fulfills us." Kobe's 'work' is the game of basketball, it fulfills him. He loves the game so much he wrote a poem about it and shared it with the world.

“As a six-year-old boy Deeply in love with you I never saw the end of the tunnel. I only saw myself Running out of one.”

“And so I ran. I ran up and down every court After every loose ball for you. You asked for my hustle I gave you my heart Because it came with so much more.”

“You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream And I’ll always love you for it. But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer. This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding

My mind can handle the grind But my body knows it’s time to say