Sports have evolved to become a business. They sell tickets and merchandise, and there are endorsements and entire cable channels dedicated to sports. The industry generates millions of dollars in revenue each year. People work hard to become professional athletes because it pays so well. In business, people often use game terminology to create competition. Different teams compete, and businesses compete for customers. There are similarities between sports and entrepreneurship.
What Are the Similarities?
First, both entrepreneurs and athletes have passion for what they do. They push themselves to be their best, and they work through adversity until they achieve their desired results. They are also tenacious, and they keep going in the face of obstacles. They have a vision to look ahead and set goals.
Both also have the self-confidence that they need to succeed, and they believe in their skills. They are flexible and can adapt when they need to. They tolerate fear and use it as a motivator. They share many of the same traits.
How Sports Prepare People for Entrepreneurship
Sports prepare people for entrepreneurship because they learn how to maximize their strengths and reduce their weaknesses. Athletes know what strengths they need in their sports, and they always have some skills that are better than others. They learn how to preserve their energy so that they can use it at the right time, and they know when to go all in. When you become an entrepreneur, you will draw on this ability. There are times to be patient, while at other times, you need to take the plunge. Timing is everything when you are selling a product or closing a deal.
The key is to identify what strengths you have, and then put yourself in a position to benefit from them. If you are conserving your energy, you need to know when it is time to make your move and burst forward. The entrepreneur needs to know when the right time is to strike. By acknowledging your strengths, you can identify weaknesses and find ways to turn them into strengths as well. When you have experience in sports, you are better prepared to be an entrepreneur.