There are some common qualities almost all the great athletes share. Some of these are: <ul><li>Determination</li><li>Courage</li><li>Resilience</li></ul>And the ability to cope pressure and perform under it. Some athletes leave such an impact on the world that they turn into cultural icons. For example, we all know about “Muhammad Ali”, “Pele”, and “Don Bradman”. These athletes have been turned into cultural icons because they left an impact on the world.

Turning Athletes Into Icons

Have you observed how sometimes, the sporting events elevate your emotions, leave fans into tears, make the crowd excited? That’s the beauty of sports and it often involves a designed structure to achieve that.For example, when you see Lionel Messi or Ronaldo playing, or LeBron James jumping to take a shot or even when watching a wrestling event, there is a designed genius to the event that resonates with you and gives you an immersive experience of the event.

Sporting Events Often Involves An Invisible Gunius

if you observe closely, you can witness patterns of different strategies, tactics and mental behaviours across different sports. Neuroscientists have not been able to figure out the complete details of the psychology and motivation behind sports but we do see some very interesting trends.

Playing Sports Presents A Ton Of Winning & Losing Behaviours

One of the most striking things about sport is that amid the Darwinian battle for supremacy, individuals and teams slugging it out to be the best, we witness a rare and powerful beauty.

Ali was, indeed, beautiful. In the way he moved, the way he talked, and in the high-voltage charisma that seemed to flow whenever he stood near a TV camera, he redefined the nature twentieth-century celebrity. He could box, too.

Across sports, you may observe individuals who are more motivated when they fail at the game. On the other hand, you’d also be able to find individuals who quit when they fail. There have been many examples such as David Beckham who performed extra-ordinary after his failure at 1998 world cup. Likewise, you would be able to find teams that play like one mind. Where everybody takes care of each other and they win and lose together. On the other hand, you would be able to find teams that often do not behave as well. Each player seems to be playing for the glory of his or her own self.

Success Vs Failure, Cooperation Vs Individualism

Sport is a powerful vehicle for exploring these themes because its psychological factors that are often the difference between victory and defeat at the highest level.

Learn the greatest lessons from professional athletes learned in a series of interviews conducted by Matthew Syed.

What can Roger Federer teach us about the secret of longevity? What do the All Blacks have in common with improvised jazz musicians? What can cognitive neuroscientists tell us about what happens to the brains of sportspeople when they perform? And why did Johan Cruyff believe that beauty was more important than winning? Matthew Syed, the 'Sports Journalist of the Year 2016', answers these questions and more in a fascinating, wide-ranging and provocative book about the mental game of sport. How do we become the best that we can be, as individuals, teams and as organisations? Sport, with its innate sense of drama, its competitive edge, its psychological pressures, its sense of morality and its illusive quest for perfection, provides the answers.

MATTHEW SYED

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