Gold 0
silver 1
Bronze 0
Begin typing your search above and press return to search.


Beyond sports, what do the Olympics values teach us?

The Summer Olympic Games entails some valuable values for our growth which we must never forget

Two athletes doing a fist bump

Friendship Togetherness Respect (Source: Olympics)


Kalptaru Agarwal

Updated: 2021-07-21T08:12:50+05:30

The Olympics Games are the heartbeat of every athlete and sports fan. This historic event leaves an impact on our lives every four years and we are all glued to our television sets watching our favourite athletes performing their best for Olympic glory.

A sense of patriotism filled with enthusiasm captives us as we witness the amazing collection of sports ranging from gymnastics, football, hockey to fencing, wrestling, archery, and much more. But is it just about the sports or the medals? Well, a BIG NO!

Every sport, every athlete, despite the fact that he has won a medal or not, teaches us some valuable life lessons beyond the obvious process of sports. Their years of hard work, the dedication in their spirits, days filled with struggle, the charm in their eyes, and the feeling to make their nation proud have all give us some inspiration from which we can learn and grow in our own lives.

The principles of never giving up, persistence, believing in oneself, and handling failure are some core lessons. But the Olympics on a world stage gives wholesome valuable lessons to cherish and celebrate all our life. Let's find out what some of those Olympics values are.

Practicing Respect for oneself and others

Communities spread internal hate and conflict amongst themselves in various societies based on power, caste, creed, economic status but the Olympics tries to break the barriers to bring peace and harmony in the world.

The goal of the Olympic movements is to educate youth about a peaceful and better world where they respect one another and their diversity. When all players come together to compete on a global platform, they bring in different cultures and pay due respect towards their competitors leaving behind any form of malice.

Abbey D'Agostino (USA) and Nikki Hamblin(NZ) bear true testimony to this spirit of respect when both the athletes tumbled and hugged each other on finally finishing the race at the Rio Olympics. Sometimes, it isn't about winning but finishing the race.

This became one of the most celebrated moments of the Olympics which highlighted the real Olympian spirit. Another instance is when Mo Farah who came third in the 5000m event at the London Olympics congratulated the Phillipian Athlete Rene Herrera who came in last as a mark of respect for his sheer will.

This teaches us the power and needs to respect everyone in the world which ensures a fair and positive society where values of nation-building prevail and all the cultures are celebrated vividly. Respecting the existence of human beings without any prejudices and acknowledging their efforts is our biggest takeaway from the Olympics.

Doing the best by pursuing Excellence

The world is progressing towards a place driven by success and fame which stands on the completely opposite end to what the next valuable lesson is for us: Excellence.

The movie 3 idiots state "Beta kaabil bano kaabil, kaamyabi toh jhak maarke piche aayegi," which represents the fact that success is driven by excellence and not vice-versa. Athletes always pursue excellence which they showcase at this world stage.

They refuse to give up and work harder to become better versions of themselves in order to be successful. Michael Jordan, an American famous basketballer said that "he missed more than 9000 shots, lost almost 300 games, 26-times failed to take the winning shot for which he was trusted and due to these failures, he succeeded."

Usain Bolt lost the heats in the 2004 Athens Olympics and is now called the fastest man in the world. Was that an overnight success for him? Ask yourself and you will get the answer. He worked hard to excel at his game and then went on to win gold medals in the next three Olympics.

This value teaches us to be bold, a person who can accept his failures, and someone who strives for excellence. From excellence, we can aim for glory and this helps us to make a better living for us as well as contribute well to society while we are alive.

Friendships and fair play

Friendship bonds are indeed precious for life and we have witnessed the power of Olympics where friendships outside the competing avenue take center stage and athletes create relations for a lifetime. The motive is to be happy and joyful. At the same time, playing within the rules comes under the spirit of sportsmanship.

This ensures a fair and just society to live in. These Olympic values teach us to be respectful of rules and practice disciplined behaviour along with enjoying all activities in life with pure relations making us delighted.

Awesome display of friendship amongst Olympians (Source: Reddit)

Strike a balance - Live harmonious life

The Olympic values embrace young people to take care of their entire well-being. The focus is to create a growing environment towards a balanced approach. Athletes maintain a strict diet and a lifestyle that is suitable for their bodies.

The same should be our approach when we view ourselves as workaholic creatures, life is not that big to ignore your own body. A daily physical activity, meditation sessions, a proper routine and a healthy way to live are what we need to learn from the spirit of the Olympics. This will help us to create a better life for ourselves.

Inspiration, determination, and courage are also some value-based principles that you must learn from the Olympics. So this time, when you are watching your favourite athletes displaying their quality performance at the Tokyo Olympics, cheer not only for their sport but for teaching you a way of life.

Also, the Olympics is not just a world-level sports event but an institution to give you valuable life values which you should understand and adapt for your own growth.

Next Story