Last night was basketball night for me. A group of guys play regularly 1 weeknight per week and I just happened to find them 1 night when they were short handed. I asked if I could play and they said yes, and now 3+ years later I’m still playing with them.
When guys sub out or in between games, the guys will check in with each other. I often comment about how good EVERYONE has gotten since I first started. It shouldn’t be so surprising, but it really is. When I first joined the talent level was medium and they were struggling to get enough players for 5 on 5. Now there’s usually enough for subs or 3 teams and occasionally 4 teams. Not only have they attracted more players, but they’ve attracted more talent and different age ranges. We have 3 kids in high school that routinely play. 2 kids just out of high school, 1 guy who’s 25, most of the guys are mid-30’s, early 40’s, then me somewhere after that and then a silver haired gent who everyone loves having on their team because he makes them look so good with his screening. We’ve got different ages, sizes, religions, colors, skill levels, fitness levels, trades, and relationship reliances (dependents, independents and inter-dependents).
The common traits we all share are we are there to have fun, play basketball, have some special time for ourselves and get better. These shared interests unite our differences and is fascinating to be around. At home and work, you can have similar differences where everyone’s trying to get better, but rarely is everyone in the same room at the same time collaborating and competing together doing the same exact task, having fun, while trying to get better. Plus you may be too close to it, to notice the actual progress of each individual person.
You might see this unique situation in orchestra and theater, definitely in sports, especially field and court team sports and of course in group personal training, but not too many other places. Yoga, pilates, spin and many other fitness classes, don’t have the same collaboration, competition, partnering, team forming or groups that the earlier mentioned examples provide. It’s special.
Right now is pre season for Professional Baseball. You’ve got journeyman, free agents, minor leaguers, rookies, young players and veterans all going in the same direction, trying to get better, competing and collaborating, trying to make the team, stick on the team, get playing time and get more playing time. This is a great comparison.
Circling back to pick up basketball, most people show up every week and some show up here and there. Everyone’s getting better all the time and there are also days, weeks and months where some people might regress because they’re tired, stressed, overloaded, nursing an injury and yet they still found a way to show up and get their “unicorn” time as my wife calls it.
I guess the take home message is to find an environment where you can go weekly and work at getting better at something with others that’s fun, where there’s differences so you can learn and grow, yet share the same desire to get better, connect and work towards a common goal.
Playing a sport, group personal training, theater and orchestra are great examples.
They fill you up. Give you social connection. Provide accountability and a reason to show up. They give you a reason to prepare before showing up. A reason to practice while you’re away and in between meet ups. It’s fun and it makes everything else in your life better.
If you’re looking to be a better athlete, age well and perform better in life and you want to train with like minded people, have weekly appointments, accountability and a coach, when you’re ready let me know. I’ll help you build your own Why Factor or a Reason Why to get better, have fun and socially connect with other.
