Ed Reed reveals he was a 2 star recruit in high school with barely any interest until he made his own highlight tape using an old school VHS and fast forwarded and rewinded to record the individual plays he thought translated the most to winning “I made my own highlight tape. Sat there, VHS, one play at a time. And it’s crazy, if you look at my highlight tape, bro…” “I didn’t put just quarterback plays. I put stuff on there for special teams. Extra effort. I showed a play of us missing the tackle at the five-yard line, but running it down at the two.” “Just showing effort. You have to be proactive. A lot of times I see the youth, I think they’re not as proactive as they should be.” “It’s different now. But these are the things that you have to do. Especially for anybody that’s out there trying to get looked at or trying to get noticed.”

Kobe's speech to @AlabamaFTBL in 2016 will always be legendary and packed with timeless wisdom for leaders: 🐍 Edit your life. If your habits, relationships, routines, or distractions don't align with who you say you want to become, ELIMINATE THEM. Simple as that. That clarity will help you create commitment in your life. 🎥 Excellence begins with curiosity. You have passion to learn but you have to stoke it like a fire in order to grow. The separation isn't talent, it's the willingness to OBSESS over details others overlook. Kobe didn’t watch film just to confirm what happened. He watched to uncover what could happen. He was feeding his curiousity. What if the defense adjusts? What if the first option gets taken away? What counter exists after the counter? Anticipate, prepare, and think multiple moves ahead. ⚡ Excellence isn't an event, it's an identity. Kobe believed coasting against weaker competition only creates bad habits because standards don't change based on the opponent. If you want to perform at an elite level when it matters most, you have to practice excellence when nobody's watching. Everybody wants to be the beast, but not everybody wants to do what the beast does. Fall in love with the process, because the habits you repeat eventually become the person you are. 🐻