You know the old saying, "Baseball is like life?" Well it got me thinking what that meant because I love sports and I wanted some clarification. So, I found a really good article: "9 Things Baseball Taught Me About Life." I think these same principles could be applied to business as well.
9. Sometimes it's o.k. to steal: Cutting corners isn't always a bad thing because it could make better use of your time.
8. Go home once in a while: Sometimes we can get too consumed in our work and forget about our family life.
7. Sometimes there is sacrifice: As with a sacrifice bunt or fly in baseball, sometimes you need to sacrifice certain things to get ahead in life.
6. A little goes a long way: Much like sacrifice, it's little things that add up to a happy life. Next time you are faced with doing something small or nothing at all, go small. You'll always win.
5. Cheer on other's accomplishments: You have to cheer on others because you would want acknowledgment also.
4. Have Patience: Baseball is all about patience and outwitting your opponent, much like life.
3. Embrace diversity: Thousands of blacks, latinos, asians, and a host of other races have provided baseball with countless hours of excitement. In life you can't just have one kind of friend. You only better yourself if you experience other cultures, travel to other countries, and make as many types of friends as you can.
2. Be there for your family: Its o.k. to have differences, but always have your family's back no matter what.
1. Sportsmanship: Win or lose you should be proud of your efforts. If your best wasn't good enough, learn from it and improve on your efforts the next time out. Don't be afraid to congratulate someone who has outdone you because you'll earn respect when you give respect.
Yeah, I think sports is analogous to business in many ways as well. I found the first one interesting, "sometimes it's ok to steal". This never really occurred to me, it may not translate directly that it's ok to "steal", however it may mean that when there are opportunities out there, they need to be seized. Not that it's right or wrong to do that, but it's a battle to the finish and if there is an opening it's expected for the competition to act upon it. I think the other good point this brings up is sportsmanship. When it comes down to it you have to be respectful of your opponents. Just because you are duking it out with another company or team it's ok to congratulate them if you lose or come up short. There are many battles to be had, you win some and lose some. Best to learn from your mistakes and not dwell on them.
ReplyDeleteVery good article. I personaly do not like baseball but these little life lessons seem to translate to our personal and business lives.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the go home portion of this article the most. While I think it is important to have a healthy career and a stable financial life I also believe you should not let work consume your life. Leave work at work when you leave. A lot of times it is good to have your mind off work all together so the next time you come back you are enthusiastic about the work that must be completed.
ReplyDeleteI liked this article. I really like the part about cheering on other's accomplishments. I think it is really important to support other people's work. Your day can be altered completely if someone acknowledges the good work you are doing. It is so rewarding to have someone cheer you on and point out your strengths. I think it is very important to keep the work environment happy and lighthearted and have a positive outlook on a job.
ReplyDelete