Why are sports so fun? Why do sports challenge us? Why are sports and life analogous? The answer is a simple one word answer, mastery.
To answer my own questions, sports are fun because they provide highlights, everyone likes to watch Sports Center. Sports are hard because it’s a continued quest to improve. We have all heard the quote – “Michael Jordan missed over 9,000 shots including 26 game winners.” Jordan is arguably the best basketball player ever, and he was challenged every night. Why sports and life are analogous, I think this quote is the answer “failure inspires winners, failure defeats losers.”
Athletes, students, and positive members of society grow through their mistakes, rather than blame other people, the market, or external factors. Genetics and IQ play a large role in how successful people can be, but never under estimate the power of hard work and practicing in the most efficient way. An interesting book on “practicing the right way” and how to overcome genetics and IQ is The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle.
