My Philosophic Recipe to live 'The Good Life' through sports: 3 Ingredients to deepen your love of sports
How to determine ‘The Good Life’ through sports?
When I used to teach university classes on sport philosophy I had to teach multiple viewpoints on the morality of sports.
My role as the professor wasn’t to tell my students what to think but how to determine for themselves the best ways to live through sports by navigating different perspectives. We explored moral philosophy and how playing and watching sports would lead us to good or bad outcomes in individual’s live and society at large. It was rewarding work and I enjoyed challenging the students and myself.
But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have my own strong view on what it meant to live the good life through sports that I tempered down due to professionalism.
What does it mean to live ‘The Good Life’ through sports?
For me, leading ‘The Good Life’ through sports is simple.
Sports are deep passions and expressions that are similar to other creative arts. But due to their physical nature, and emphasis on victory and defeat, sports provide us opportunities that other creative activities can’t. Living ‘The Good Life’ marries the subjective love of playing sports with the objective reality of physical performance and competition.
You live ‘The Good Life’ through sports by taking them seriously and participating in ways that align with their nature and fulfil your spirit.
There are 3 main philosophic ingredients that inform this recipe that will help you better understand why I feel so deeply about the important of sport and why you should want to live ‘The Good Life’ through them.
Ingredient #1: Phenomenology
Instead of a philosophy of knowledge Phenomenology is a philosophy of EXPERIENCE.
Phenomenology teaches us to view our body experiences as part of our being, not something external. It supports the idea of Embodiment, that our mind and body is connected and not separate. Consider how meaningful motion is to your life, the joy you get from moving your body in a particular way, or the feeling you get walking in the warm sun versus a cold wet breeze, and you will understand why phenomenology matters.
In order to live ‘The Good Life’ through sports we have to take seriously the meaning of moving our bodies first.
Ingredient #2: Aristotelian Virtue Ethics
There are three main components of Aristotelian virtue ethics that teach us how to live ‘The Good Life’ through sports.
Morality Derives from aiming at an activities nature with internal motivation
Each individual has an internal drive which steers them towards excellence (Entelechy)
Excellence is different for each individual based on their natural passion (Eudaimonia)
Together these 3 elements show us that if we aim at the nature of sports with love, passion, desire, and become willing to suffer for excellence, sports become moral activities that teach us and others how to live towards the good and away from the bad.
Ingredient #3: Sports History Examples
But does it work? A Philosophy of experience tied to morality based on internal motivation and adhering to the nature of the activity?
I’m also a sport historian and the answer is yes. Two societies in world history realized this power of sport: The Classical Greeks and the Victorian Brits. What binds these two athletic cultures together is their promotion of individual liberty as the cornerstone of individual human flourishing.
It’s no coincidence that these were also the most sport loving and promoting societies in world history, and they promoted this exact view that sports developed individual virtue, trained leaders to act forthrightly, and gave individuals a chance to aim at excellence that mattered deeply to them.
The Prescription
Now you know a little bit more about the depth that drives my personal philosophy behind the value of sport to individuals and society.
It’s up to you to start living that life. Here’s what I advise based on these three ingredients
Take seriously the importance of movement ot the meaning of your life. Sports aren’t just diversions, they are deeply valuable experience that matter to your life’s purpose and enjoyment.
Playing sports tiltls you towards the good if you embrace their nature. That means subjecting yourself willfully to phyiscal suffering in order to transcend limitations and accepting mistakes and defeats as leaning lessons to grow from
It’s not up to anyone else to determine your love of sports and what they mean to you. Chase dreams, aspire towards achievement, and delight yourself when people say ‘you’re crazy’ to go after that goal.
If you do these 3 things you will undoubtedlby be living ‘The Good Life’ through sports
If you’re stuck on what to do exactly don’t worry. This is an activity I go through with my coaching clients. I’d be happy to chat on a free consult if you wanted to get a bit deeper and explore what living ‘The Good Life’ through sports means for you