Although combining entrepreneurship and sports may appear an unnatural comparison, entrepreneurs and athletes share similar and interrelated mindsets, attitudes, and competencies, and what they can learn from each other is key to their success and fulfillment. Probably, the very first connections we may think of are related to teamwork and team-building skills that are key in both entrepreneurship and sports. Nevertheless, there are so many other competencies making anyone practicing a sport a natural entrepreneur and vice versa.
As highlighted in this article Parallels between Entrepreneurship and Sports, both entrepreneurs and athletes have a “playing field” that can be a stadium or an office, and both play within a game with their competitors (other companies or other athletes).
In both “worlds”, the key actors have passion and are determined in setting their short-term and long-term goals and relevant strategies to achieve them and be successful.
Both have to train their physical and/or mental, intellectual, and emotional skills to grow and improve their skills and performances.
Both are hard workers committed to taking risks, to challenging themselves by relying on their self-confidence and tenacity to accomplish their goals by following their vision.
Both are motivated and perseverant because they are not afraid of failures, which conversely represent the necessary steps to becoming winners in their fields.
Henry Ford stated, “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.”
Michael Jordan stated: “I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times. I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
The similarities may surprise you as even the ability to manage your time, to care for your fans, supporters and therefore customers and clients are key to both “players”.
If we explore sports from an entrepreneurial perspective and vice versa, we do realize that teaching entrepreneurial skills and mindset at schools can make the difference in the education and growth of our young learners and students as well as trainers and teachers.
It can have positive impacts on their personal, professional as well as social lives, where young people and their coaches can build together ethical attitudes and sustainable thinking based on truthful physical and mental values that can make THE difference for a better present and future world ruled by “fair play” and team spirit.