Why recreational sportspersons deserve brownie points at workplace

Recently, I completed by fourth triathlon (including a 70.3 Ironman) in my 5 years of pursuing this sport and continuing. Like all athletes who participate in events like this, I underwent focused training for the past few months to be able to finish this event successfully. For people like me, also called recreational athletes, we need to balance work and family along with our passion for sports.?

I would like to mention, with due humility, that we acquire certain skill sets to achieve such milestones, beyond the physical. And for this reason, I feel recreational sportspersons deserve brownie points beyond the usual words of appreciation which we cherish, nevertheless!? Somewhat relevant, I would like to quote a part of Liam Neeson’s popular dialogue from the movie Taken, “What I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career”

Here is a list of such skills which athletes acquire over a period:

1.????? Accepting challenges: It all starts by accepting a challenge beyond the normal to be able to achieve a certain milestone in sports like running a marathon or an Ironman triathlon event. Those who accept such challenges do it without delving a lot into the how’s and why’s of it. A challenge can only be accepted if you are up for it, nothing else. In my observation, I have noticed people of all shapes, sizes and age participate in such events only because they have accepted the challenge. I think this is a tremendous quality which athletes acquire over a period. Whether its accepting one or multiple challenges, it doesn’t matter, you have gathered the nuts and bolts of it.

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2.????? Discipline: The athletic community are a bunch of disciplined folks who follow a structured routine, plan their training and stick to their plan. Going after any milestone requires daily discipline and the ability to rise when the chips are down. And this is a continuous cycle while managing work and family. There would be challenges along the way, disruptions, unavoidable circumstances but the key is to stay disciplined to overcome all odds. Quite obviously, the ability to stay disciplined mirrors in other areas of their life, including work. ?

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3.????? Commitment and perseverance: I can say that for a sport like triathlon, one requires hours and days of training, which can get lonely sometimes. Those dark mornings when there is no one else doing the drills but just you, pushing one’s limit does require a certain level of commitment and perseverance. Imagine a day full of meetings after a hard training session. But while going through this, one trains the mind to adopt and believe in one’s goals and that’s how this is possible. An individual who goes through this rigor is trained to emulate these techniques at work as well.

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4.????? High energy levels: Its easy to spot an individual who follows an exercise routine. She/he is filled with boundless energy and a cheerful disposition. Such people do not need a shot of caffeine, they are the caffeine! Being energetic is not only great for one’s own wellbeing but for others too. Such individuals transfer their energies to others, making an organization a lively workplace. Athletes who train regularly can only pass their infectious energy to their colleagues, sometimes changing the mood of the workplace. ??

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If you are into sports like me or know someone, it would be interesting to know your thoughts in the comments!

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