Life Lessons of an Athlete
When I was younger, I was told that being an athlete would teach me things beyond my sport. That as an athlete I would learn skills that I could carry throughout my entire life. At the time, I don’t think I saw those lessons. I was so wrapped up in the sport. I was just focused on being able to play with my friends, get better, and play the sport that I loved. Looking back I can see those lessons I learned from being an athlete. I definitely carry them in my everyday life, in how I approach things and in how I show up in my work.
Although I am no longer an athlete. I no longer get to play the sport I love with my friends, I am grateful for every lesson that being an athlete has taught me. Below are a few of the key life lessons that I learned throughout my playing career.
Life Lessons of an Athlete:
Practice! Throughout my playing career the amount of hours I put into practice far outweighs the amount of hours spent in games. In life, I sometimes get caught up in end results, stressing over how to get the result I want. Rather than focusing on the everyday tasks and process it takes to get there. Taking the approach of an athlete, practicing more than you play, helps me to enjoy the process of getting to where I want to be. There is always a need to practice, learn and improve.
Criticism. Criticism is a great tool. I won’t say I was always accepting of criticism with open arms. But criticism allowed me to look at who I was, what I was doing and really assess what needed to change or improve. Especially when criticism came from a coach, it lit a fire in me to improve.
Dedication. Athletics taught me the importance of dedication. My parents taught me that once I signed up for a sport I was dedicating myself to be at every practice and game. That even when we were having a terrible season I still had to show up because I had committed to play.
Teamwork. Being a part of a team is both rewarding and challenging. A team is the sum of all of its members. I carry this with me in all aspects of life. I believe that helping others, encouraging others or leading others whether it be at work or with family is always a benefit. Supporting those around you to achieve a common goal is an important aspect of a team.
Failure. Failure isn’t the end of the world. Failure (losing) taught me how to cope with not achieving what I wanted and learning to move forward. To keep going even though the loss sucked. Most of all it taught me to show up even after a loss or failure. Because even when we lost, myself and my teammates still showed up to practice the next day to improve.
Support. Lift up those around you. Showing support for teammates when they made a mistake. Picking their head up in those moments. Celebrating the success of a teammate no matter how small. A good pass? I let them know. Scored a goal? I ran up the field to celebrate. Celebrating the successes of those around can be done in any area of your life.
Reactions. How you react to things is important. I wasn’t the best when it came to controlling my emotions in a game. I learned that those reactions led to poor results. Whether it was reacting to a call the ref made or reacting after a loss, it mattered. In life, how I react to things, big or small, matters.
Identity. This is a lesson I learned at the end of my playing career. I learned I was not only defined by who I was as an athlete. There was more to me than just being an athlete or soccer player. It was hard for me to see that at the time because I had been playing sports for so long. You are not just one thing. Your identity is a combination of so many different things; your hobbies, interests, friends, family, social groups, school, career. Being an athlete is only one piece.
You may be learning some of these same lessons as an athlete and you may be learning additional ones that you will carry with you throughout your life. Take some time to reflect on these lessons.
What are some of the lessons you have learned from being an athlete?
How will you carry those lessons throughout your life?
How can you apply these lessons to your life outside of sport right now?
If you’re someone that is ready to apply your life lessons off the field, schedule a free consultation with me today! We’ll discuss how to reach your goals and win on and off the field!
