Kobe Bryant: Type 3
My dad is a Kobe Bryant fan (and so is all of LA). I’m not a sports person, but that never stopped my dad from asking me and my baby sister to shout “Go Kobe!” whenever the Lakers were playing. My sister enthusiastically complied. I sat there silently watching the strange sports people.
I doubt that even those who aren’t sports people haven’t heard of the renowned Kobe Bryant, especially after the tragic death of him and his daughter.
He was renowned for his athleticism, charity, authenticity, but most importantly – his work ethic. He coined the term “Mamba Mentality” that in his own words meant “to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself.”
My dad likes to occasionally give me sermons on the Mamba Mentality. I know it’s something he tries to live by, especially as a small business owner. The idea is that whatever you’re working towards, you have to give it everything you’ve got. Work tirelessly. Get better every day. And never stop.
This is possibly the most admired quality about Kobe. He lived out his Mamba Mentality. He had an obsessive drive for success and dedication that most people could only dream of obtaining.
His daily routine was to wake up at 4:30 AM (after usually 3-4 hours of sleep), workout and train all morning, and by noon he would have the rest of the day for his family. He put his full heart into whatever he was doing, on and off the court.
Kobe is a Type 3 on the Enneagram, otherwise known as “The Achiever.” We all relate to each type to varying degrees, so there are things we can learn from all of them.
We can’t all be Kobe Bryant, but we can all learn about what motivated him to excel in the ways he did.
How to Identify a Type 3
When you think of Kobe’s personality, a few different qualities may come to mind. He was successful, ambitious, generous, and fully devoted to whatever he was working towards (in his work life and at home).
Even as someone unfamiliar with sports, one thing definitely sticks out to me – his drive.
That is one of the easiest ways to identify him (or anyone else) as a Type 3. Type 3s are the most ambitious of all enneagram types. They desire success and recognition, and typically the ones saying they want to be the best. They are competitive and care a lot about personal growth. They have high energy, are hardworking, and are usually very charismatic.
When my aunt met her Type 3 husband for the first time, she said she was mesmerized by him. She had never met anyone like him, full of energy and life and ambition. Type 3s easily win over most people with their charming vibrant personalities.
If you think you might be a Type 3, you’ll value accomplishment, reputation, and personal growth. Like Kobe’s “Mamba Mentality,” you’ll constantly strive to be the best version of yourself.
Lessons and Growth from a Type 3
Kobe had different rules for success that included:
- “Get better every single day”
- “Prove them wrong”
- “Work on your weaknesses
- “Learn from greatness”
- “Learn from wins & losses”
These are great rules, and he had plenty more. These rules are also a very Type 3 way to think, but that others can benefit learning from.
However, it’s important to understand that as a Type 3, Kobe was motivated by a desire to be valuable, wanted, and successful. Like other Type 3s, he most likely feared being thought of as incompetent or worthless.
Average Type 3s tie their worth to their successes and accomplishments. Unhealthy Type 3s believe failure is not an option and will not admit or look at their mistakes. Both care a lot about presenting an image to others, whether that image is true or not.
However, healthy Type 3s are authentic and come to believe in their own inherent value while still trying to achieve their goals. These types are generous and full of heart. They are the ones who greatly believe in others and strive to help everyone be their best self.
From what I can tell, Kobe is described as a very authentic person who didn’t shy away from giving his opinions or listening to the opinions of others. He challenged others to grow, but also accepted the challenges others gave him. He founded and supported various charities. He was very involved in helping youth. He has all the attributes of a healthy Type 3, and I honestly think that’s where his greatest lesson lies.
Whether you’re a Type 3 or just wanting to learn from one, I think the most important lesson is this:
Work hard, put your whole heart into it, so that your success can benefit and help others.
Digging Deeper
If you’re a Type 3, it’s likely you grew up believing that you would only be loved for your accomplishments. Even if this was never directly stated, it may have felt like if you weren’t bringing home accomplishments, you wouldn’t be praised or shown love.
As stated earlier, Type 3s tie their self-worth to what they’re accomplishing. Image is everything to them. These types can easily be part of the crowd. They know what’s expected from them, and they are good at presenting that, even if it’s not genuine.
Type 3s typically have an unwavering belief in themselves, which can either be healthy or unhealthy. Unhealthy Type 3s deceive themselves into believing they are the best, even when they aren’t. They cannot see themselves as failures.
Healthy Type 3s have reached their potential in fully knowing what they’re capable of, thus their belief in themselves is very positive and real. It’s what pushes them to keep trying to be better no matter what anyone else may think or say.
I think this is what motivated Kobe so much, that he knew he was capable of great success. He once said, “Hard work outweighs talent – every time.” He truly believed that if he worked as hard as he could, and ignored whatever challenges came his way, that he would accomplish his goals. Having that much genuine self-belief is hard to achieve.
“Hard work outweighs talent – every time.”
– Kobe Bryant
One of my friends is a Type 3 and her husband is a Type 7. They both acknowledge that her husband naturally understands concepts better, but that she is the one who will be more successful. To take the test to get into law school, his score surpassed hers by a quite a bit. However, by the end of law school, she was the one who rose to the top of her class and was highly decorated with achievements. She will work hard and push through any barrier no matter what she’s doing.
Working hard is definitely something anyone can learn from a Type 3, but I think there are even greater lessons.
I like that Kobe dedicated his time to his career, family, and charities. It wasn’t like when his basketball career ended that his life was over. His main achievement in life wasn’t basketball, though he has obviously gone down as one of the greatest players in the NBA.
The Human Connection 