Sports As Training For Real Life

A former sales executive once pointed out to me the fact that he liked to hire people that had competed at the highest level in sports.  I didn’t understand why, but his explanation made a lot of sense to me. 

1. They learned how to set goals and train and prepare for those goals.
2. They knew how to win.
3. They knew how to lose, reflect on the loss, move on, and prepare to win again. 

I think number three is what gets lost in the “trophy generation” that we see out there today.  Kids that only know how to win and throw their rackets or get upset if they lose.  They don’t understand the value of competition, of being pushed, and of learning how to lose with grace.