Entrepreneurs and Athletes Have More in Common Than You May Think

From June 11th until July 11th most people of the world only have one thing in mind: soccer. With the FIFA World Cup now in its third week of competition, everybody in the world, from the Polish to the Portuguese, the Algerian to the American, and the British to the Brazilian, is watching.

In addition, Americans are also focusing on one of the most anticipated sports events in the NCAA: the Men’s College World Series that is taking place from June 19th until June 30th.

This year, June is the month for sports. And as hundreds of athletes are gearing up for their time to shine, we, the entrepreneurs of the world, are watching.

Thinking about these buff players could take us back to a time when athletes were off sweating on the field, getting all the girls, and receiving praise from schools everywhere. In the meantime, we, the non-student-athletes, were busy cramming for the next accounting exam or polishing up on our drinking skills.

And although in high school and college, we may have felt different from the student-athletes, today, we actually have a lot more in common with those national heroes than we may think…

First of all, in the entrepreneurial world, just like in the athletic world, everyone loves when the underdog wins. Nothing can be more fun than watching a Cinderella Story unfold. Although we all root for our favorite team in the tournament, we all find ourselves leaning towards the team that started at the bottom and built their way up to the top. We also find ourselves cheering for those entrepreneurs who started with nothing and made themselves into something great. Take Chris Gardner, for example. A homeless man who was self-made into an extremely successful businessman is a story that everybody can smile about. It’s a story good enough to make into a movie (The Pursuit of Happyness), just like the sports stories that are good enough (Remember the Titans, Miracle, Friday Night Lights, etc.) as well. All of these movies have the exact same plot: the underdog wins.

Secondly, both athletes and entrepreneurs need to visualize. Both need to see themselves as a success each and every day. When athletes close their eyes just before a game, match, or meet, they are visualizing themselves reaching their goals. In essence, entrepreneurs are doing the same thing when they write out their long-term goals and business plans then strive for them in every minute of every day.

Finally, both athletes and entrepreneurs must have a support system. Although both types of people should be self-starters, they always need a support team to back them up. For athletes, this may be their team, their coaches, or maybe their families. Entrepreneurs may get support for their start-ups from family and friends. Either way, both athletes and entrepreneurs need tons of support in order to achieve their dreams.

So the next time you are watching an athletic event, whether it be Michael Phelps breaking another record, Tiger Woods sinking another putt, or Venus Williams smashing another serve, remember: you have more in common with these athletes than you may think.

Written by Allison Way, Writer for Think Big Partners