July 17 - Sports = Life?

Sports = Life? 🤷

July 18, 2024

Workouts for the MYND

This past weekend, the world watched both Wimbledon (Congrats Carlos!) and the EuroCup (sorry England). This got me thinking: why are sports such a significant part of our lives?

According to a study published in 2024 by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), "A total of 242 million people in the United States — nearly 80% of all Americans aged 6 years and older — participated in at least one sport or fitness activity in 2023."

People don't just love to watch sports; they wear shirts repping their favorite teams (Chicago Bears - DUH), have countless conversations about them, and play them. Sports are ingrained in our culture, and we all have a general understanding of them. Even if we don't watch them, we frequently use sports metaphors in various aspects of our lives, from workplaces to romantic relationships. For example:

Hail-Mary: A "long pass into the end-zone to win a game" used as a last attempt of desperation, referencing the Catholic "Hail Mary" prayer for strength and help.
Wild Goose Chase: Originates from horse racing, where a "wild goose chase" happens when a horse follows another horse closely in formation, like geese fly.
Have Someone in Your Corner: Comes from boxing, where boxers have someone in their corner to support and advise them during a match.

Other examples include sparring partner, stumped, take it on the chin, work out, and no holds barred.

Personally, I enjoy sports but don’t watch or care about them as much as the average American. This led me to ponder: why do I frequently use these metaphors to describe everyday situations?

Sports metaphors help make complex or intangible concepts easier to understand. They serve as heuristics, or "mental shortcuts," that assist our brains in grasping ideas quickly. Life is challenging because much of it pertains to things we can’t touch or see, such as feelings, thoughts, and life purpose. Using tangible elements like a ball and a basket, scoring a goal, or "keeping your eye on the ball" helps our brains conceptualize these abstract ideas.

Sports bring clarity to the intangible questions of life.

In life, there is no central focus or definitive way to "win" the day unless you decide on one. So, I want to ask you two questions today:

What sport are you playing every day?
How do you know if you’ve won?

Let us know your thoughts in our survey. We'll send the first two respondents some swag!

Alright, before you decide to "throw in the towel…", sign up for our MYNDY Routine Builder waitlist (if you haven’t already!) 😎

With Heart,

Lissy and The MYNDY Team

Join The Waitlist!

INSPIRATION

(Why we share this: This is a spark of info + research that gets you excited to practice Mental Fitness)

From the one and only Bo Jackson:

“Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there.”
“Don’t run too fast through life, you only have one.”

(FYI we came across him in our studies here and thought you should know that: “Bo Jackson (born November 30, 1962, Bessemer, Alabama, U.S.) is an American athlete who starred for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) during his short but storied professional career and who is widely considered one of the greatest all-around athletes in history.” - Britannica

PERSPIRATION (Why we share this: These are fun + small exercises to work out your MYND for impact)

Riddle: Love means nothing in this sport.

CELEBRATION

(Why we share this: This is a way to celebrate your MYND and the MYNDY community)

In the spirit of sport - the wait is almost over! The 2024 Olympics are kicking off next week in Paris. Whether you’re cheering for an athlete, your home country or just love the spirit of the Games, the Olympics are prime time for all things mental fitness - energy, focus, and resilience. Let’s gooo!

Today’s Quiz Answer:

Racquet sports! (tennis, badminton, squash)

How was the newsletter this week? We’d love quick your thoughts:

Loved it 🤩 | So-so 🙃 | Not for me 🥴