Not everyone on the planet is used to the hustle and bustle of dealing with a sport. While sports and immense physical activities are rife in our society, lots of people out there prefer different ways of physical and mental stimulation.
We live in a free world, so we are all entitled to do whatever we want – unless we’re doing something illegal or hurting another.
A little sporting competition helps us out more than perhaps you might think, though. Initially, you’d think that it’s about having something to do during our free time, but it actually goes a lot deeper than that.
There are so many reasons as to how it improves our lives pretty significantly. We have to deal with a lot mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually during our eighty-something years on this planet, so these kinds of activities can allow a little respite.
Let’s break down, into a little more detail, exactly how sporting competition can do so much for us on so many different levels:
13 Benefits of sporting competitions
1. Stress relief
Getting together with others in any kind of fashion and looking to compete will help a person to get rid of the stress they’re carrying around. Whatever situation is running through their head will pretty much disappear when a different kind of adversity is facing them. Their focus will shift entirely over to the current problems.
Take, for example, a game of rugby: when a large number of humans are running full-pelt at you, it’s not exactly the time to be thinking about the awkward moment from last week that has been plaguing your mind ever since.
Another example, and probably the best one, is how combat sports allow stress to be relieved. Punching a bag is seen as one of the best ways to get some of those grievances out. Sparring with another or grappling with them in a submission battle is also a great way to do this.
2. It allows us to feel a sense of victory
Coming through a difficult sporting challenge – whatever the sport, game, or activity – and finishing on top feels good. We all love feeling that sense of victory in all walks of life.
Winning and accomplishing something makes us feel a lot more confident in ourselves. It’s why we set achievable goals in our work and personal lives.
A lot of people in this world don’t get to experience success all that often, such is the fast-paced and unforgiven society we live in. Sports and competitions allow us to feel that sense of victory a little more often than usual.
3. They take the strain away from day-to-day issues
Life isn’t the simplest thing in the world – we tend to have difficult moments throughout. Sporting competition between peers (and rivals alike) allows us to focus our energy on that particular instance.
It allows us to completely forget about everything we have going on in our day-to-day lives. For the hour or so that we’re playing, none of that other stuff exists. It’s also a great way of releasing tension that might be released in more inappropriate settings.
Whether you’re logging onto gonzo’s quest, playing badminton, or throwing darts at a dartboard – you’ll be getting away from real-life for a while. You don’t want to be carrying tension into important work-related or personal instances.
4. It helps us with our mental health
Mental health has become a huge talking point recently, and with good reason. What goes on in our heads is so very important, and it’s about time it was taken a little more seriously.
Competing with others allows us to keep our minds occupied on many different stimuli. As we’re focusing on this stuff, it allows us to forget (albeit briefly) about what we’ve been worrying about for so long.
If we keep doing this kind of thing, then perhaps our brains can slowly improve and nip some demons in the bud.
Being put under somewhat of a pressurizing circumstance, like a football match with spectators, may also help people out mentally as it strengthens them – they’ll become braver and more equipped to deal with stress and subsequent pressure.
If the sport in question involves a lot of physical activity, then that’s only going to boost one’s mental health even more as the endorphins released from the brain make them feel so much better about themselves. This kind of release allows a person to feel more confident and happy overall.
5. The more stimuli in front of us, the better
Our brains need to be fed with food and water, but they also need to have constant stimuli in front of them. If you idle for too long and don’t allow your brain to constantly work, then you’re going to lose some of the skills and intelligence.
With fierce competition in front of you, your brain is constantly working and taking in new information, then that’s only going to be a good thing regarding pretty much every aspect of your life. Your brain will need a rest every now and again, of course, but it needs to be exercised for the majority of your life.
6. Losing allow us to be humble
Humility is a big trait that every human needs to possess. It’s necessary for more than just being a nice, kind individual. We need to be humbled every now and again to realize that we’re not perfect and that not being perfect is okay.
It’s okay to lose and to know that improvement is always an option. Losing in a fierce contest can be a kick in the gut, but it’s very helpful in the long run.
7. It can teach us pretty valuable life lessons
Following on from the last point about humility, we’ll talk about other areas of life that it can teach people about. Adversity and difficulty in life are a given.
Life is not fair, and we’re entitled to absolutely nothing off the bat. Coming through difficult mental and physical challenges can prepare us for other areas of life where there will be struggle and pain.
8. Exercising and keeping fit is a good thing
This is a pretty obvious point, but one we’ll make anyway. When we play a particular game, it usually involves physical movement of some sort. Sure, there are things like video games and sit-down activities that don’t take too much intensity, but the majority require a little movement.
We talked about the endorphins and other mental health aspects, but it’s just good for your life overall if you’re out there moving around. If you’re feeling good physically, you’ll feel good mentally.
9. Humans need to be social
Some people like their own company, but even those kinds of people need to be around others every now and again. A significant punishment in many prisons is to throw one of the inmates into solitary confinement for a long time.
This is a horrendous thing to have happened to someone, and there’s a reason those who have wronged so badly are tossed into it. We’re a species that needs to be in groups; being social makes us happier.
10. A passion of competing can be unlocked
Some people don’t realize just how competitive they actually are until they bother with it. Some people are very passive and don’t really like the idea of getting into an intense, competitive fracas with anyone else.
Once they try it, however, they realize that they have this burning desire to win inside them. This can then trigger more ambition in other areas of life and, thus, make them strive for greater things.
11. Getting out of the house is a necessity in life
Another obvious point, but one that, again, should be reiterated. Staying indoors and all alone with only yourself to compete against will not do much good.
You need to get out and see others every now and again. You need to get stuck into society and be among others in a fun and open sense.
This doesn’t exclusively mean you need to be outside to take part, obviously – we mean that you shouldn’t stay locked in one place all the time as you’ll go crazy!
12. It teaches us not to take life too seriously
Obviously, we need to be serious and dignified in some areas of life, but at the end of the day, we need to live life positively and with a smile on our faces. Not everything should be taken to heart.
Friendly competition can allow that kind of mentality to flourish. Even though things can get heated, you still end up laughing and joking when you’re secure about what you’re doing.
13. Scores can be settled between two foes
When two people dislike each other immensely due to one reason or another, a sporting competition can settle the score. Whenever there’s a disagreement, it can also settle that particular argument.
Take a boxing match, for instance. If two people fiercely want to get into combat, they can – under the right rules, of course. Usually, when all is said and done, hands are shaken, and the respect between the two is shared.
That kind of healthy closure and responsible behavior is only a good thing and something that mature people should all look for.
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