Football teaching us life lessons? You may wonder in astonishment how possibly a commercial and professional sport can possibly teach us any life lessons. Well, read on! Because in sport, as with life, we have to use certain skills, habits and abilities to get on. There's little doubt (as we'll see below) that football is much more than a mere game. Football (or soccer) is the world’s most popular sport. With exciting players, great clubs and fierce competition, professional football is great to watch. It’s not all about cheering on your favourite team though, watching football (and playing it) can teach us many great life lessons as well. Here are 31 life lessons we can learn from following football: 1. Some of the greatest victories are from the greatest comebacks. 2. There's always next year so never be disheartened, go back, prepare and use failure to come back stronger for next time. 3. Everyone has a part/role to play. Don't dismiss anyone who is weaker than you in strength or intelligence. There is no such thing as 'a waste of space'. Sometimes people haven't found what they're good at or what their potential is. Everyone has a purpose in this life and a role to play, sometimes those who seem 'worthless' in the eyes of people end up becoming the greatest of people some years later. Therefore respect everyone, especially the 'nerds', as you may end up one day working for them. 4. Underdogs winning - one of the most beautiful successes is when you succeed despite no one ever expecting you to and while defying all the odds. 5. Moving on after defeat game by game - the best remedy to a loss is to get back on the horse quickly, start the next task and succeed. 6. It's never over until the very final whistle - how many goals are scored right at the very end, literally before the final whistle? So never think it's over and there's no way back or nothing more to do. It's never over! Until the fat lady sings... (as the maxim goes). 7. Perseverance, grit and determination can overcome some of the most difficult situations. How many small teams have beaten giants simply through sheer perseverance and determination? 8. Be Honest, don't cheat - the amount of players who dive, cheat and foul while the referee isn't watching is bizarre. Don't they know that thousands of fans are watching live and cameras are recording from all angles? Yet they seem to forget it while on the pitch. So don't forget, someone is always watching - be fair, play by the rules and don't cheat. 9. Work as a team. Many hands make light work and everyone has a different set of skills to offer. You can't always do it on your own, you always need someone else's help at times. This is the way of the world, cooperation and mutual help and working together to make things better. 10. You win some, you lose some, you draw some. That's football, that's life. No team can ever have a 100% winning record. Everyone fails from time to time and each failure has a lesson for us to learn from for the next opportunity. 11. Different situations require different tactics. Football is about formations, tactics and adapting to the situation - so is life. Sometimes if things aren't working well you have to change up. Different situations require different responses. Be prepared to change and adapt when required. 12. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! If things are going well don't change anything just for the sake of it. Sometimes managers take off the best players for no foreseeable reason. If things are going well, keep going and don't stop. 13. Respect your opponent. Respect those who you come up against. Good sportsmanship and fair play builds bridges, breaks barriers and promotes goodwill. 14. Don't get complacent. When in a winning position, don't lose your focus or lessen your effort. Many times a team goes in to half time with a lead of up to 4-0 and the other team comes out fighting - they have nothing to lose - which ends the game at a draw. Keep it up. If you make progress, make more. 15. Keep your nerve. Penalties and delicate situations are all about being calm, collected, focused and keeping your nerve. Take a deep breath before you do anything rash. 16. Be focussed. Keep your focus and concentration throughout everything you do. Many a time, during the end of a match, players get tired, lose their concentration and let in a goal. Keep focussed all the time and keep your mind on the task at hand. 17. It's not always about winning. It really isn't. They say it's not the winning that counts, it's the taking part. Taking part requires guts in itself and sheer determination and will power. Not everyone wins all the time but sometimes it's about the enjoyment of participating in something exciting, worthwhile and enjoyable. Often I don't care if my team lose as long as they play passionate, entertaining football. Winning is just a bonus. 18. Take it one game at a time, one day at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day and nor are titles and championships. Place one brick a day and in time you'll have a mighty wall. Take your time, do a little everyday but do it regularly. Good teams always take it game by game. 19. Don't showboat or insult others, it may come back to haunt you. You might be winning and showing off now, but when you come back to play your opponent again, he'll be more motivated and determined than ever. Be humble in victory and resolute in defeat. 20. Have passion for what you do. If you have true passion for whatever you do then you can never fail nor will working ever seem like a chore. 21. If it doesn't work, change it. If something isn't going well in life then you have to alter it. It's no good persisting in a lost cause or walking down a blind alley. Sometimes you just have to accept that one way isn't working and change course. Doing that doesn't mean you're admitting defeat or have failed, it means you're moving forward. Apparently it took Thomas Edison thousands of attempts to invent the light bulb until he eventually did it. And what was his reaction to his 'failures'? He said 'I have not failed, I have only found a thousand ways that don't work' and 'every wrong step discarded is a step forward'. 22. You make your own luck. When a player scores a 'lucky' goal or gets a penalty and the commentator says 'they got lucky there', I think to myself well no, they made their own luck by attacking, shooting, trying hard and getting inside the box. Therefore they made their own luck by giving it their all. When you try your best and strive hard, you're bound to succeed and what looks like just sheer luck, is actually hard work and persistence. 23. You have to last the distance. Sometimes a team does well the entire season and stays top of the league, however nearing the end, they either burn out with fatigue or they don't have the mental toughness to finish the job. It's the same in any match, if you don't last the 90+ minutes, all your hard work during the match may prove to be in vain if you let in a late goal. It's all about consistency and finishing the job you've started. 24. It's not always the talent or skill that matters, grit and determination often can get you through. Many strong teams with hugely talented players are often defeated by weaker teams with a solid game plan and strong determination. 25. Utilise technology, it's there to help us all. We finally have goal line technology which ensure that goals aren't wrongfully ruled out, making play fairer and the official's jobs easier. Therefore, utilise technology to your advantage, it can make life so much easier if used correctly. With mobiles, tablets, social media, computers, gadgets etc, technology can make you more organised, productive and efficient. 26. Resilience is needed for success in the long run. 27. If you try hard and give it your best, your very all, then even if you lose you'll gain possibly more respect than you would have if you'd actually won. See how Algeria, USA, Nigeria and Chile gave it their all and earned the respect and admiration of their nations despite losing. 28. Play to your strengths. Don't try to be someone you're not or do something you can't. Do what you're good at and develop your skills. Follow your intuition, it knows what you're meant to be. Whatever you are good at and enjoy, pursue it. 29. Don't be greedy. Many star players who move for the wrong reason eg. money, end up being forgotten and put on the bench whereas before they were the stars of the show and leaders of their clubs. Be content and grateful for what you have. 30. There's more to life than football! Some people unfortunately kill themselves when they see their team lose. For all they know, maybe their team may one day come back as great champions. Not everyone can win all the time or stay top forever. Your rivals may taunt you today but tomorrow their team may suffer an even heavier defeat, therefore never lose heart and keep supporting your team through thick and thin and remember, football is just a game at the end of the day, there's so much more out there to look forward to in life. 31. It's not how you begin, it's how you finish. What happens in the end is what counts and what people remember. No one is going to remember Algeria's brave attempt against Germany this World Cup or Suarez's bite. What people will always remember is who gets to the final and wins in the end, despite whatever happened before. Therefore put your past behind you and focus on the future. Look at Spain in the 2010 World Cup, they lost the first match yet went on to win the World Cup in the end so no one cared about the first loss. Therefore, it's what happens in the end that truly matters, as long as you reach your goal and final destination...
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1. Contemplation Ramadhan is about contemplation and self reflection. In a world ridden with war, anxiety and difficulties, Muslims seek to bring peace in themselves and to others especially during this holy month. This year, which sees 100 years since the start of World War 1, Muslims will be reflecting on what has been a world changing century and will be praying for peace, harmony and justice for the future. Indeed, the Khalifa of Islam frequently calls for self reflection, tolerance, peace and freedom. Fasting enables Muslims to empathise with those less well-off in society and reflect upon the bounties and favours which God has bestowed upon them. 2. Charity Muslims are the biggest donors, giving more to charity than any other faith group. Muslims helped in selling poppies across the nation this year 3. Community Ramadhan brings people together. With communal Iftars happening all over the country, people come together to break the fast and get to know each other. But Ramadhan is more than just breaking the fast together, Ramadhan teaches Muslims to serve the community, whether it be through homeless feeding, blood donations, visits to the sick and elderly or tree planting, Muslims all over the UK join in the efforts to help and support their community. Ramadhan Mubarak! Stress is a big issue in this fast paced and multifaceted society we live in. People have so many worries, problems, responsibilities and pressures. This makes tackling stress all the more important. Here are 5 ways to reduce stress. 1. Stop worrying Find the root cause of your worries and fix it or at least makes steps to do so. A saying comes to mind related to this, 'worrying is as effective in solving a problem as chewing a bubble gum is'. In other words, if there is a problem, worrying isn't going to fix it. Your worry and the problem will both be fixed by tackling whatever the root cause of the worry is. Writing your worries down and solutions or steps you can take to remedy them can be a big step in overcoming unnecessary worrying. Worry isn't all bad, at best it simply draws our attention to the issues that need addressing in our lives or in any situation. Worrying can actual lead to many issues being uncovered early on and thus resolved before they actually cause a significant problem. But as with anything in excess, excessive worrying is something that zaps vitality out of a person. 2. Clear your head Sometimes it's best to simply stop thinking too much and take a deep breath. Draw your attention away from whatever it is that distracts you and think 'happy thoughts' Often, if you forget about whatever is bothering you and distract yourself, when you come back to the cause of the stress, it resolves itself. So clear your mind from negative thinking by replacing it with positive things. Take a walk in the fresh air and focus on nothing but the nature and surroundings around you. 3. Be with nature Nature has a soothing touch and gives a person serenity. Spending time in the sun, in the fields, parks and in the fresh air is not only good for your body but also for your mind - and stress. Take a long walk and look around you. Listen to the birds, feel the air and smell the flowers. Refresh yourself and your mind. 4. Have an outlet Speak to people who will listen and can empathise. Share your problems with people close to you and who understand. Often just venting our issues in some way releases the negative stress and energy within us. Everyone has a different way of releasing our inner complaints, it can be through writing, talking, exercise or simply praying or meditating. 5. Do things that you enjoy Remember, life isn't all work, worries, problems and frustrations. Life is something beautiful and nothing lasts for ever. Bad times come and go and no pain, evil or suffering lasts forever. It's just not the way of this life. There are cycles and things change, people change and so do circumstances. While everyone has worries, concerns and responsibilities, it's important to sometimes get away from those things and relax. Do what you enjoy. Be with people who make you feel better and say nice things. Do exercise that you enjoy, read and watch interesting content. Take a day out with the family and/or friends. Don't worry or think about anything else, you can get back to your responsibilities and tasks with a fresher and sharper uncluttered mind after taking a break. And if all else fails... A disclaimer: I am not a health expert or psychologist by any means. The tips above are my recommendations based on various literature and personal experience. |
AuthorAtif Rashid writes about faith, extremism & mental health. Categories
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