What the “Mamba Mentality” Can Teach Us About Personal Growth

By Madeleine Dopico, LCSW
Psychotherapist and Founder of Two Point Oh Therapy

Ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, people are talking about how Jalen Brunson is embracing the "Mamba Mentality."

My therapist ears perked up and thought, "Oh. What's that?"

The term comes from Kobe Bryant, who described it as the relentless pursuit of excellence and continuous self-improvement: becoming a better version of yourself every day through focused effort, discipline, and growth.

This therapist is cheering for that perspective before the game even starts.

This is only my lightly informed interpretation of the "Mamba Mentality," but I'd like to think it's not about feeling fearless or free from doubt in order to perform at a high level.

These players are performing under an enormous spotlight. Their hearts and minds are probably racing. The pressure is insane.

But watching the games, even a basketball novice like me can see that players like Brunson are trusting their preparation in the heat of the moment.

They appear to be staying focused on the next play instead of getting stuck on the last one.

I think they're accepting discomfort as part of the process and leaning in (I mean, come on, when guys who are 7 feet tall slam their whole bodies onto the court whether they score the point or not, that's gotta hurt).

In therapy, I often hear people assume they need to find a feeling of confidence before they can move forward.

But confidence is not a prerequisite for doing the work. It can be the result of facing the fear, the highs and the lows, and doing it anyway.

So how can we cheer on the Knicks tonight and find our own version of Mamba Mentality?

What do we need to do to channel our inner Jalen Brunson and show up, work hard, and commit to the next step in our personal growth, even when it's uncomfortable, uncertain, or not truly guaranteed that we'll win?

There are players out there tonight taking shots to become better and better versions of themselves.

Are you taking yours?