In respect to Kobe Bryant's tragic death earlier today, I just wanted to share the most important message that I think he imparted to the world, and one that he lived in every aspect of his own life. During an interview in 2008, he encouraged his fans to always keep moving forward in life no matter what the obstacles are. Watch the video below via CBS Sports reporter Kevin Boilard.
"Have a good time. Enjoy life," he said. "Life is too short to get bogged down or be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile, and just keep on rolling."
Kobe lived this motto in his own life. He never settled for anything less than winning throughout his life, and once even described failure as "worse than death." He met his wife when he was 21 years old and stuck it out with her until the end, and had four beautiful kids with her. He won five NBA championships and has made history as one of the greatest basketball players ever.
Growing up in Los Angeles, I didn't follow sports but my brother was a Kobe fan for as long as I can remember and we'd sometimes go to games to see him play.
Now that his life has been cut short, Kobe's motto sticks with even more meaning. Life is tragic in so many ways but letting the thought of that slow us down is not an option.