As the big sports event of the year – the European Maccabi Games 2015 – approaches, those of us who still haven’t fallen in love with any particular sport – but feel that they should – are maybe wondering what they could do to help fate.
Well, we at Simantov think that finding your sport may be closer to finding love than one would think. And we have 4 recommendations for you:
- Know yourself: as for your dream partner, the search for your dream sport should start with a bit of introspection. What kind of a person are you? Are you a social bumblebee or a loner? Do you want to bond with teammates or to get away from everyone? Are you a high energy or low energy person? Not all sports are equal, some involve a lot of sweat and a lot of noise, some are practiced in beautiful settings (think golf or skiing) and others indoors, some are games and others are purely physical. Answering these questions will help guide you towards a sport you will enjoy.
- Do a reality check: you may like everything — and everyone — but they may not necessarily like you back. This sad fact, which you may already have been confronted with in your love search, is also true with sport. Not that the sport you choose is going to reject you or hurt your feelings, but it may very well hurt your body. No matter how tempting it looks to you, depending on your age and your overall physical abilities, you may not be suited for the flying trapeze … or for a young partner.
- If you are not satisfied, keep looking: if you have started practicing a sport and are not completely enthusiastic about it, give it some time. Beginnings can be painful. Your body has to adapt to your new activity and that takes time. But if after a little while it doesn’t grow on you, give it up. With all the sports available to you, you will find one you truly enjoy. Being in the wrong sport is like being in a wrong relationship: sooner or later, you’ll want out. No reason to prolong the agony: cut your losses as soon as you realize you and your sport are not a match.
- Once you find your sport, stick to it: in sport as in relationships, the best rewards are reaped after you’ve paid your dues and put in sufficient time and effort into the „project“. As you become more of an expert in your sport, practicing it will be less stressful on your body and more pleasurable for your mind. The same is true of a long-lasting relationship. The more of yourself you put into it, the more satisfying it will be.
Finally, if you have no idea where to start, here is our last suggestion: come and meet us and the athletes at the European Maccabi Games in Berlin between July 27th and August 5th 2015! With a little luck you’ll kill two birds with one stone and you’ll find both your love and your sport!
Looking forward to seeing you at the Games!
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