Pat Benson: 30 Observations From 30 Years

  • Saturday, November 30, 2019
  • Pat Benson
Pat Benson
Pat Benson

I hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving weekend! This past Thursday while we ate turkey, I also celebrated my 30th birthday. I know, I know. It’s hard to believe the young liberal next-door has turned the big 3-0. 

As you know, I’m a firm believer that kids need to play sports growing up. Wins, losses, blood, sweat, tears. All that good stuff prepares you for this crazy world. With that being said, I don’t know how much wisdom I have to impart, but I want to share some life lessons I have learned from sports as a former athlete, fan, and writer. So in no particular order, here we go:

1.     Be quick, but don’t hurry. – John Wooden

2.     Exercise regularly (unless injured or sick) 

3.     Getting sweaty and out of breath is the best way to clear your mind

4.     Take days off to rest and recover

5.     Sports gambling is an excellent way to burn cash

6.     Don’t get too high on the highs and too low on the lows

7.     Don’t take yourself too seriously

8.     Leaders make their teammates look better

9.     Giving is better than receiving

10.  Never heckle or hate on athletes and coaches from the stands

11.  Don’t get on social media when you are upset

12.  Attend at least one sporting event each year

13.  Stay up late and watch that west coast game

14.  Stay open minded to new ideas and concepts

15.  Identify mentors and learn from them 

16.  Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. 

17.  If you’re nervous, positively visualize success

18.  Always practice the fundamentals

19.  Stretch regularly and always warm-up and cool-down 

20.  Never let one thing or person define who you are as a human

21.  Use doubters and naysayers as fuel to motivate you

22.  You are you hang out with. So be mindful of the friends you keep

23.  Put out positive energy and the universe has a way of repaying you

24.  Challenge yourself to overcome physical and mental obstacles

25.  Invest in a good pair of shoes, and take care of your feet

26.  Give thanks for every day you are on this planet

27.  Meditate every day. Even if it is just for a minute

28.  Posture and body language are everything 

29.  Punctuality is key. Always arrive early

30.  Positive thinking is the only way to go through life 

The older I get the more I realize I have more to learn. Like how exactly the infield-fly rule works, why can’t I develop calf muscles, and was Michael Jordan secretly suspended for gambling by NBA Commissioner David Stern in 1993? 

I hope some of these ideas are helpful to someone reading. Let me know what you would add to the list. Thanks to God, my family and friends for the past 30 years. 

--

Pat Benson has been a sideline reporter, P.A. announcer, and radio personality. Tweet him @Pat_Benson_Jr 

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