Regardless of your opinion of Kobe Bryant it is impossible to argue that the world lost an inspirational, larger than life, icon. Death is always hard, but there's an unexpected reality and pain, when those we believe nearly immortal are taken early. It's a too close reminder, and a reality check that life is brief, that all we encounter, everything we succeed and fail, all is temporary. That only one thing is certain, and there is no avoiding.Death comes for everyone. And as easy as it would be to become sucked down into the abyss of fear, I choose to feel and embrace this lesson. I choose to honor a man I respected as a great leader, and I will honor his memory by choosing to live, and to chase the dream with the fire he carried in everything he did.1. "Those times you stay up late and you work hard. Those times when you don't feel like working. You're too tired. You don't want to push yourself, but you do it anyway. That is actually the dream."2. "Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise."3. “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.”4. “I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.”5. “If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail.”6. “The topic of leadership is a touchy one. A lot of leaders fail because they don’t have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord. Throughout my years, I haven’t had that fear.”7. “These young guys are playing checkers. I’m out there playing chess.”8. "If you want to be great at something, there’s a choice you have to make. What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that. Family time, hanging out with friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be."9. "Trust me, setting things up right from the beginning will avoid a ton of tears and heartache…"10. "The most important thing is you must put everybody on notice that you’re here and you are for real."11. "We can always kind of be average and do what’s normal. I’m not in this to do what’s normal."12. "Haters are a good problem to have. Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones."13. "I create my own path. It was straight and narrow. I looked at it this way: you were either in my way, or out of it."14. “Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.”15. “The beauty in being blessed with talent is rising above doubters to create a beautiful moment.”16. “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.”17. “Dedication sees dreams come true.”18. “Either way, I refuse to change what I am. A lion has to eat. Run with me or run from me.”19. “Losers visualize the penalties of failure. Winners visualize the rewards of success”20. “Be willing to sacrifice anything, but compromise nothing in your quest to be your best.”21. “We don’t quit, we don’t cower, we don’t run. We endure and conquer.”22. "Use misery to create mastery."23. “It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly. If you do it right, your game will live on in others. You’ll be imitated and emulated by those you played with, those you played against and those who never saw you play at all. So leave everything on the court. Leave the game better than you found it. And when it comes time for you to leave, leave a legend.”24. “I’ve pretty much done all I can here and, you know, God will carry me the rest of the way, so I’m pretty comfortable with that.”May we all live life as fully present, as whole heartedly, and without regret for the days we chose to make great.Best,SLLooking for how and when to motivate your team? Check out this guest post blog on Hoopla:Pleasure and Pain. The “Carrot” and the “Stick.”