I’m not your typical sports fan.  As a child and young adult I had no interest in sports whatsoever, although I devoted hours of time to dance.  Then I had a son who was very much into sports.  So, in my effort to be a supportive mom, I went to every baseball game and figured I’d better learn something about it.  I fell in love with the game!  Likewise, I enjoy figure skating and gymnastics, as much for the artistic nature of these sports as for the skill and strength the athletes exhibit.

So, I do get excited when its a year for Olympics.  The US women’s gymnastic team has been fun to watch this year!  And my favorite baseball team, the Washington Nationals are at the top of their division!

What strikes me about sports is that it is a reflection of life in the larger sense.  We’re all trying to be the best we can be and succeed in life—whatever success means for each of us.  In sports we see it played out very quickly.  So here is what I’ve noticed about winning teams that we can apply to life:

1.   Have fun:  The “Final Five” gymnastics team seems to really be enjoying what they do.  Simone Biles and Aly Raisman both exhibited energy and pure enjoyment as they flew through the air on the floor exercises!  I really didn’t see that from some of the other teams.  That sense of fun helps with the pressure of the Olympics and leads to greater success.  I’m not discounting their hard work!  But when you’re doing what you love you’re willing to devote the time.  When reporters ask about the sacrifices they had to make to get to the Olympics they said it wasn’t a sacrifice—it was worth it.

I notice the same thing with the Nationals.  Those guys are having fun!  They joke and laugh.  You see it in the dugout and on the field.  And fun is contagious! They hit better and field better when they are in the “fun zone.” Even when they have a setback, they are able to pick themselves up and move on.  Fun puts you in the flow and you actually perform better.  So—how can you have more fun in your life and put more fun into what you do?

2.  Support and Nurturance:  The young ladies of the “Final Five”  US gymnastics team really act like a team.  They support each other whether they are going for the team gold or in competition with each other in the individual competition.  They pick each other up and laugh together.  There’s a lot of support from the coaches as well.  The same goes for the Nationals.  The organization has instituted a new system of supporting their players with healthy food and a new outlook on injury prevention, addressing small issues before they become big issues that put player on the disabled list.  Manager Dusty Baker is supportive of his players, knowing when to give them day off to rest or get their confidence back.  He’s not afraid to give out hugs, either!  So, where are you getting and giving nurturance and support?  Do you give it to yourself?  That’s the place to start.  What nurturing thing can you do for yourself today?  How can you give this gift to someone else? It can be as simple as a smile or a hug!

3.  Know what you have control over and what you don’t:  I was struck by both Aly Raisman’s and Simone Biles’  knowledge of this.  Aly demonstrated this when she had a difficult time on the uneven bars.  When her coach attempted to go over her mistakes with her, she brushed him off saying she needed to focus on the next event. The uneven bars were over—nothing she could do about it now.  In that moment her attention and focus needed to be on being the best she could be on the upcoming balance beam.  I was impressed by her maturity.  Plenty of time to review mistakes after the competition!  And-she won the silver medal! Likewise, Simone Biles commented to a reporter that she had no control over how the judges scored her performance so she didn’t worry about it.  All she had control over was her own performance and that’s where she needed to place her attention.  I watch this in baseball with the best pitchers.  You make a mistake and end up getting scored on or walking someone, nothing to do but shake it off and focus on getting the next guy out.

[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#LOA #LifePurpose #LifeBalance”]We deplete our energy when we worry about what we can’t control.[/tweetthis]We deplete our energy when we worry about things we can’t control.   You have control over your preparation, your actions and over what you are thinking and feeling.  You don’t have control over what anyone else thinks, says or does.  Where are you depleting your energy by stressing over the things you can’t control?  By focusing only on the things you do have control over you step back into your own power and will be amazed at how much better life goes for you!

I’d love to hear your comments below!