As athletes, you are used to going above and beyond for things. Whether that means waking up at 4:00 am to work out or getting in extra reps during strength and conditioning, your mind is trained to do more. If you were to take this same mindset and apply it to your everyday life, you may see a shift in how things in your life are going! Imagine being able to put 110% into everything you do – we could assume you would start to excel in your life outside of sports.
Through all of the challenges and obstacles you face playing sports, you learn how to handle adversity. When you first asked your parents to sign you up to play sports, it probably wasn’t because you wanted to build your personal character traits. Many people do not realize until years later that their sport actually helped them with things outside of physical skill. The appreciation grows later on when you are finally able to reflect on the things you have learned from being a part of a team. While looking at your athletic experience, consider these traits and how your sport helped you develop key parts of your character:
Adaptability: As an athlete, you are used to having to adapt. Whether it is a change in the play that your coach calls, trying out a new position, or playing in new locations, adaptability is something that you have probably ace’d just by being part of a team. This can correlate to the business world because employers look for someone who knows how to adapt to changes. Whether it’s a last-minute change or a brand-new experience, it’s important to learn how to adapt to curve balls.
Commitment: Being committed to your team, during the ups and the downs is hard but vital. It is easy to want to give up after a loss, or after you play a bad game, but there is nothing better than being able to stay committed to a team, or a company, through the good and the bad. Dedication – even if it is being dedicated to completing a project, or a task given to you by a supervisor, shows that you are dependable, reliable, and someone worth trusting to get the job done.
Leadership: There are student-athletes who are named team captains who serve as the leaders of their teams. These students are in charge of relaying messages to their teammates and making sure the team maintains a tight-knit culture. Outside of the team captains, the upperclassmen also look out for their younger teammates. This leadership shown throughout the team is applicable to the workplace as well. Being a leader, regardless of where you are, is a notable skill!
Overall, athletics builds character. It is important to note the traits that you build while playing sports to continue to focus on them after you graduate and move on from your athletic career.
Game Plan’s comprehensive software platform integrates mobile-first eLearning as well as virtual mentorship and career services, uniquely designed for athletic organizations. Game Plan works with 875+ athletic departments and organizations with over 240,000 courses completed yearly. Our eLearning courses provide student-athletes ultimate access and flexibility while equipping both athletics departments and the conference office management tools and insight to ensure outstanding experiences and outcomes. To learn more about Game Plan, please visit wearegameplan.com.
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