"I heard the ball bouncing. No lights were on. The practice was at about 11, it was probably about 9, 9:30. And I go out to the court and I look, and there's Kobe Bryant. He’s out there shooting in the dark. I stood there for probably about ten seconds and said, 'This kid is gonna be great.'"
That’s what former NBA player and coach Byron Scott said about Kobe Bryant.
This wasn’t a one-time thing.
In 2008, Team USA teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh told a similar story. While they were just waking up for breakfast in Vegas, Kobe walked in already drenched in sweat, ice packs strapped to his knees—because he had already been training for three hours while they slept.
Kobe knew something most people ignore:
The work we do in the shadows determines how we perform in the spotlight.
Most people want the rewards of success but only put in the work when others are watching.
Competitors? They grind when nobody is watching.
- Training at the crack of dawn when everyone else is still asleep.
- Practicing sales calls on the weekend while others take time off.
- Studying at Starbucks after work to earn a certification for their next opportunity.
This is what separates the elite from the average - the willingness to master the dark before stepping into the light.
Want to succeed?
Dominate the darkness.
By the time your moment arrives—when the lights are on, the stakes are high, and all eyes are on you—you shouldn’t be “getting ready.”
You should already be ready.
Because you put in the work before the moment arrived.
Because you earned your shot.
Because you dominated the darkness before the world ever saw you shine.