Football is a team sport that calls for perseverance, goal setting, discipline, and teamwork. It’s a competitive sport, and during the season, teams seek to impress their fans on the field with all the hard work they put in during practice. You can use the same principles at work.
Here are three career lessons you can learn from football:
- Do Your Job Well and Thrive
If you’re a long-time football fan or root for the New England Patriots, you’ve undoubtedly heard head coach Bill Belichick repeat this phrase: Do your job. Belichick has long stated that this mindset is something he has kept with him throughout his coaching career and has contributed to his team’s success in reaching and winning multiple Super Bowl championships.
You can also apply Coach Belichick’s philosophy to your work.
Just like on the football field, each position on the job is critical to successfully executing a project, meeting a deadline, or completing quarterly and yearly objectives for your team and company. Recognizing the role you play on a team is important. If you’re new on the job, learn as much as you can about your position. Ask for feedback when needed. Ask a colleague or manager for clarification if you don’t understand something in your role. Sometimes, if we’ve been in the same position for so long, we can become complacent. You can break this habit on the job by embracing any opportunity you get to develop in your role. If your company is offering on-the-job training, seize the opportunity to grow.
- Study and Learn From Other Leaders
In football, everyone from the quarterback to the defense and special teams is a leader in their respective positions on the field. The primary goal in the game is to execute the next set of play calls to achieve the main goal, which is to score touchdowns and field goals, keep the other team from scoring with strong defense, and win the game in the fourth quarter. It’s important to identify leaders on the job. Spend some time observing how they carry out their responsibilities and overcome obstacles in their role to achieve success.
- No Shortcuts in Long-term Job Success
To win a championship, football teams must put in a lot of effort throughout the season. Players and coaches must be present at practice, review game film, and draw lessons from their successes and failures. Whether it be in football or our careers, there are no shortcuts to long-term success. To advance in our careers, we must work hard. Spend some time thinking about your professional life and career, including where you are now and where you want to be. Recognize that you may be a champion in your career for both yourself and others if you work diligently.
Who’s your favorite football team or player? What other football lessons could you apply to your job? Let us know in the comments section below!
