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What To Expect

In today’s article 3 ways how playing sports can make us better mentally, we will discuss the positive impacts sports can have on the mind. I will discuss the impact it has had on me but also on others as well. Then you will get my 3 favourites of how playing sports can make us better mentally. ENJOY!

How Sports Can Change Your life

I wouldn’t say I grew up in a sports family. Early on I think through friends I unlocked a passion for sports. I grew up playing and watching all the different sports.

The love of football was huge but also I had a keen interest in Formula 1 and rugby. I couldn’t get enough of the Olympic games.

Now into adulthood, I’m still just as passionate. It’s amazing how sports can bring you so much joy, drama, inspiration from just watching. The sense of community can be felt when watching with others whether that be in your home, down your local pub or in the stands.

Watching is one thing, playing is completely another. The skills you learn both mentally and physically are life-changing. It has helped develop my confidence in myself, respect for others and a drive to be successful.

How Sport Impacts Everyone

Not only me but it has developed millions of people around the world to change their lives. Anthony Joshua said boxing got him away from potentially going down the wrong path in life where now he inspires a new generation of kids with his sports mindset, talent and being a great role model.

Even my sons Sensai in karate inspires him to become not only a good martial artist but also a mentally healthy person too.

There are countless stories all around us of the life-changing aspects that sport can give us whether that be health, finances or sense of purpose. But more importantly, it can help us develop a healthy mind. This is what I want for my children.

For you, the reader I hope this unlocks something within you, where taking up a sport you feel passionate about, can help continue your mental journey. The best thing about sports it doesn’t just have to be team-based sports but it can also be individual too whether that’s doing yoga which I now love or doing weight lifting.

My biggest advice I could give is to pick a sport you like and get to it. The rewards far out way anything that could stop you from doing it.

3 Ways How Playing Sports Can Make Us Better Mentally

5 ways how playing sports can make us better mentally — Photo by Max Winkler on Unsplash

1. Playing Sports Helps With Discipline

Discipline is an important skill to learn. It helps you overcome procrastination, laziness and going back on promises. Self- discipline helps you succeed in life at controlling your emotions and habits.

Sports Is definitely a place where you learn this. You just have to look at Olympic athletes, where you have to be disciplined for 4 years for the chance to go to the Olympic games. They have to be disciplined with their training sessions, food intake and overall lifestyle to attain their pinnacle goal.

That’s why athletes, when their sports life is over, can easily transfer the skill of being disciplined into their family and the business world. You can see that in ex-sports stars like Michael Jordan, David Beckham and you could even say Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson too.

There’s no doubt discipline plays a big part in their success within their sport and outside of it.

2. Playing Sports Helps With Confidence

Sports can change someones whole personality in an instant. A bit of competition can change the quietest mild-mannered person into the loudest and aggressive person. A famous example in football was Paul Scholes who was two completely different personalities on and off the pitch.

I have experienced this myself where another side of my personality comes out. I utilise this personality trait to good use in my own life too. It has allowed me to be confident in places where my introverted self wouldn’t do so well.

What sport can do, is teach you a lot about who you are and what you’re capable of. You just have to look at UFC MMA fighters or any Mixed Martial Arts where you learn to fight. Rational thinking you would expect this to lead to more fighting and becoming unruly but on the whole, it has the opposite effect where you’re so confident in your own abilities it means you don’t have to fight to prove yourself. You can be confident enough in your abilities not to.

Sport can definitely do a lot for peoples confidence in a whole array of outcomes that we don’t have time to discuss here.

If you want to build confidence yourself, your child that’s a bit shy or someone coming back from a horrific injury. Sport is the place you build that confidence back and unlock the winner within you.

3. Playing Sports Helps With Happiness

For your mental health, being happy can have tremendous benefits on your mind. You just have to ask yourself how happy are your children when they’re active and playing sports and how happy was you?

From my experience, I was ultra happy with smiles as wide as the milky way. When getting older into adulthood. Life changes with work and extra responsibilities which can get in the way of participating in sports.

This has to change as there’s a lot of adults struggling with mental health problems like anxiety, the negative side of stress and depression.

What can really transform our mood is partaking in sports activities where we build relationships with others and show ourselves we are capable of so much more than we realise.

Happiness is an important part of our life and we need more of it than ever before in today’s crazy world.

Sport is definitely one part of the answer to our happiness problem.

What Do You Think?

Thank you for dropping by to read 3 ways how playing sports can make us better mentally

I’ve only listed 3 positive impacts sport can have on the mind but the list is far greater than what I’ve written. Sport can bring out wonderful aspects in all of us. It unites people and gives people a purpose.

Hopefully, this has inspired you to keep going with sports or take it back up again.

Build that mental strength and stay mentally happy!

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Hi, I’m Adam

I’ve spent over 10 years coaching and mentoring people within sport and business. I have many life skills that I have developed and I want to pass these skills on so people can find their best self. I believe it all starts in the mind and I write about valuable tools and strategies to help people grow in this area.

What To Expect From This Article

The recent book I read was Think Like A Monk By Jay Shetty. The chapter on purpose which he calls finding your Dharma. Got me thinking about my purpose. I learnt how purpose can unlock a more meaningful life. Now I want to apply it to my own life. Within this article, we will go on a journey to find our own too.

What Is Purpose?

This can be interpreted in many different ways. From getting something done to complete your life’s mission. A purpose is a destination you want to navigate towards. Something that lights a fire in your brain and body that you can’t ignore.

The reason why so many people feel like their life is going nowhere or bored is that they are not following their purpose. Purpose can be deconstructed into many moving parts. We have a purpose to get out of bed in the morning. A purpose to make sure there’s food on the table.

Without even knowing we are fulfilling many purposes that have major effects on our lives each day. The purpose we are going to discuss and find out here is the purpose that’s out front dragging every fire of your being in that direction.

Why is Purpose important?

How purpose can unlock a more meaningful life. — Photo by Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash

You might ask why can purpose be all that important. You might have struggled all your life to find it. Even now I’m still navigating my way to my ultimate purpose.

Luckily we have people who have found their purpose in life, for example, everyone would have thought Andre Agassi purpose was to play tennis and becoming a grand slam champion would be fulfilling this vision, but in fact, he hated tennis and once retired he found his purpose in life helping underprivileged children in his home town and this is what truly made him happy.

This shows that when you find your ultimate purpose life becomes evermore enjoyable and your experiences with yourself and others flourish too.

Finding our purpose is why we live in a world that’s so different compared to a thousand years ago. With so many people from Da Vinci to Elon Musk finding their life’s purpose. This intern helps so many people and society grow for the better which only shows its importance.

What does purpose expert Jay Shetty Believe?

Jay Shetty believes purpose is when your natural talents and passions connect with what the universe needs and become your purpose, that’s when you are living in your Dharma. He also states you should feel the passion when the process is pleasing and your execution is skilful. And the response from others should be positive, showing that your passion has a purpose.
Think Like A Monk

Hes magic formula is PASSION + EXPERTISE + USEFULNESS = DHARMA

Anyone who wants to discover more about purpose he’s book and podcast is a great start.

How purpose can unlock a more meaningful life

The best thing about humanity is that we are all unique with different likes and dislikes. Which means we can all follow what our purpose is in life. Is it being a teacher or an inventor? Whatever your passions are. You have to find and follow it. Humanity needs it and it needs your joy and happiness in doing so. We all have one shot at life and a question you don’t want to ask yourself is what could have been if… This is not how we all want to go. We want to depart from Earth knowing we lived a life of purpose that was on our terms.

There are so many people now turning away from 9 – 5 jobs to climb mountains, retire at 30 or become an influencer online. Even becoming a writer through blogging. These people have more fire in their belly, they are happier than they would ever be rather than doing something we are taught is the right path in life.

Whatever you’re doing now that is not aligned with your purpose. Don’t look down on the position you have. View it as you have just warmed up the position for someone who’s purpose is do what you don’t want to.

Some people hate cleaning while some people love it. That’s the same for everything in life. You just have to find what your purpose is to achieve in life.

Still Have To Put In The Effort

Even when you find your purpose don’t expect that’s job done, the same work ethic, learning and mindset towards any task will still have to be achieved. The only underlying difference is your energy levels of passion will keep you going through any hardship. Laziness does not attract success even if it is your purpose. Your purpose is your responsibility, so you have to rely on yourself to take action on it. Only you can control this.

My Top Tips We Can All Do Today

Learn new skills to find your purpose
Do not stay doing something you hate, plan to leave it behind
Find out what your strengths and weakness are
Follow your passions, follow your heart
Connect your values to your purpose

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed today’s article – How purpose can unlock a more meaningful life.

It’s apparent how effective having a purpose can have on your mental well-being in life. Don’t worry if you haven’t found your life purpose. It will take as long as it takes. As long as your pursing it and following your passions. We are all put on Earth to do something special. We just have to listen out for what it is.

If you have found your life’s purpose. What is it? We would love to know!

Hi I’m Adam