How lifestyle sports could add new dimensions to the leadership skills of startups

Business enterprises and startups quickly make a constructive vibe among the general population around them. What the general populace do not get is the amount of perseverance and skills it takes to raise a new business. There are a few skills that you might want to learn if you are the owner of a startup company, or are planning to launch a new one, and lifestyle sports offer the perfect avenue for inculcating those skills:

Helps to learn new skills

When it comes to learning new skills, a lot of entrepreneurs are giving lifestyle sports a try. Lifestyle sports have been proven to be a modern and scientific way to realize and acquire new skills. Many organisations are also encouraging their employees to take part in these events. To begin with, lifestyle sports first get you out of your comfort zone. Entrepreneurs will relate to this as they know how much effort it takes to step out of one’s comfort area in order to start or achieve something new.

Boosts your confidence

Taking part in lifestyle or adventure sports also is a fabulous way to boost confidence in an individual. With augmented level of confidence comes an assertive attitude in people. A positive and assertive attitude definitely helps shape leadership skills in an individual. Businesses surely need that assertiveness to see through the light at the end of the tunnel. Lifestyle sports, unlike mainstream sports, offer to boost confidence as there is no one who’s losing in these games. It is completing the task that is important, which in return makes everyone a winner.

Team bonding

Different lifestyle sports like rock climbing, rappelling, and more incite good skills of communication and teamwork among the participants. Sports like these where participants are made to work for a common goal naturally help in developing communication skills. The importance of good communication for leadership is no new revelation. Team bonding is also strengthened by taking part in these lifestyle sports.

Discover to face new challenges

Lifestyle sports are often a lot more difficult than they might look. In reality, lifestyle sports take little more than we can imagine. They are a sporty way of opening people up to face and take up challenges. Entrepreneurs learn to face challenges and that surely helps in their new businesses. A lot of people get thwarted by the idea of facing new challenges. Lifestyle sports teach that challenges are just a part of life, and can be overcome with a little strategy. In business, it is important to take on challenges; even if you cannot succeed, you will learn what you could have done to “slay” it in style.

Problem solving skills

Problem-solving skills are something that can be honed from these lifestyle sports. Sports like obstacle races present a nice platform for participants to come up with brilliant problem-solving solutions within a very short time. This ability is a winner for applying in the businesses.

Sanjay Tripathy, Co-Founder & CEO of Agilio Labs, says, “Running a startup can be extremely stressful on the mind and the body. Hence, founders need to ensure they stay healthy enough to pursue their dreams and take them to fruition. The benefits of staying fit are plenty. Healthy startup founders often are more focused, have stronger goal orientation, and can work harder. Of course, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and ensuring your stakeholders see it can also help them strive to stay healthier.”

This is where lifestyle sports can come to the rescue. No endless gymming or fad dieting – just an enjoyable way to stay fit with the dual benefit of learning to focus better and longer. Running marathons or ultra-marathons, for example, can enhance your long term planning skills. Cycling can teach you endurance. Rappelling helps you understand no adversity is unbeatable and trekking ensures you enjoy the journey to the top. So if you are in the startup game for the long-term, get into a lifestyle sport – today.

A lifestyle sport teaches the necessity of working hard. Working smart is definitely needed in a business, but it needs to be teamed up with working hard too. The idea is to work hard in order to get there. Entrepreneurs can learn to be resilient and take the skill back to their business.

Akash Korgaonkar is the Founder and Director of Ruggedian, a sports, adventure, and lifestyle company.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)