The Lessons Sports Taught Me About Work and Life
Written By Cole Kartchner
I remember the first time I stepped onto the soccer field for a real game. I was 10 years old, and I was the goalkeeper, meaning it was my job to stop the other team from scoring. I was so nervous; I really didn’t want to mess up. I was also new to the team and surrounded by players who already knew each other. I felt like an outsider, and the imposter syndrome hit hard.
Pretty early in the game, I made a silly mistake that led directly to a goal. My stomach dropped and I braced for the worst. I thought I was going to get yelled at, benched, maybe even kicked off the team. But instead, my
coach just called out, “Next one, shake it off.”
It might sound small, but that quote has stuck with me ever since. Because in sports, and in life, mistakes are inevitable. What matters more is what you do next and whether you let that one moment define you. This is just one of the many examples I’ve learned of the parallels between the lessons learned in sports and how they could be applied to a professional career:
1. TEAMWORK
BEING A GOOD TEAMMATE DOESN’T STOP AFTER SPORTS.
Since the beginning of my sports career, I’ve worked with hundreds of different teammates and many different coaches. Some teams were incredibly close, while others struggled to connect. I played under coaches I loved and others I didn’t exactly enjoy playing for. But no matter the situation, one thing was always true: we had to work together to accomplish our goals. In my short time here at Med One, I’ve already seen how powerful that same teamwork can be. There have been plenty of situations where I couldn’t solve a problem on my own, and others where a teammate couldn’t either, but together, we figured it out. Whether it’s sharing knowledge, dividing tasks, or just encouraging each other, the best outcomes always come when everyone contributes.
2. GRIT
SHOWING UP WHEN IT’S NOT EASY.
One of the lessons sports taught me that I’ve always cherished is to never quit. You develop a mindset where you just keep going, no matter how tired, sore, or discouraged you feel. You show up and work hard for your team because you know they’re doing the same for you. That lesson has carried over into my work in IT. When I’m troubleshooting
an issue, it’s easy to get frustrated or want to give up when nothing seems to be working. The same goes for moments in your career when things feel overwhelming or repetitive. It’s tempting to do the bare minimum just to move a task off your plate. But it’s in those moments that you have to dig in, find that extra gear, and give your best effort, not just for yourself, but for the people counting on you.
3. PRACTICE LIKE YOU PLAY
IN SPORTS, YOU’RE ALWAYS TAUGHT TO TREAT PRACTICE LIKE IT’S THE REAL GAME.
That way, when the moment comes, you’re ready. That mindset matters just as much in your career. When you’re learning the ropes, it’s easy to gloss over the details or treat training like it’s not important. But if you don’t take that time seriously, you won’t be prepared to deliver when your team really needs you.
When you really think about it, sports and work aren’t all that different. You just have a new set of teammates, a different coach, and you’re playing a new kind of game. People often say the most important thing in sports is winning. Maybe that’s true for some. But I think most would agree that what really matters is having fun, making memories, and building something meaningful with the people around you. That’s exactly what Med One is all about.
