How the Discipline of an Athlete Prepares You for the Job Search

Competing at a high level requires consistency and discipline. As an athlete, you know that showing up for practice, training hard, and sticking to a routine are the things that lead to success on the field. This same self-discipline, which you have cultivated over years of hard work, is your greatest asset in the professional world, especially when it comes to the job search.

The skills and habits that make you a successful athlete are a direct blueprint for how to approach finding a career. This article will outline what that means, why it’s important, and how you can apply the discipline you’ve built on the field to your search for a job.

Self-Discipline in Job Searching Defined

Just like in sports, self-discipline in a job search means doing certain things consistently for the sake of reaching a goal. For you, this means applying the same rigor you brought to your training to every stage of the job search process. It also means not doing certain things—like procrastinating or giving up after a few setbacks.

Thinking about self-discipline in the context of a job search, there are a few key ways it can be applied.

The first is with your routines. As an athlete, you have a routine for everything: practice, warm-ups, and pre-game rituals. In your job search, this means having a daily or weekly routine for applying for jobs, following up, and networking. You don’t need a parent or a career counselor to remind you to work hard; you hold yourself accountable because you are disciplined.

Another way self-discipline applies to your job search is in your mindset. Can you stay composed and focused after a rejection? Are you able to learn from a difficult interview and move on to the next one? Having control over your mindset is crucial and it takes self-discipline to not let a “no” derail your confidence.

Finally, self-discipline means being focused on your training. In the world of job searching, this means continuously working on your skills, practicing your interview answers, and staying current on industry trends. You know that to get better, you have to put in the reps.

Why Self-Discipline is Important for Your Career

High-achievers in any field reach that level not just because they have extraordinary skills, but because they do the little things consistently and very well. Just like a professional athlete sticks to their daily routine, a disciplined job seeker understands that consistency is what leads to results.

Your self-discipline will allow you to put forth the kind of consistent work required to get hired. When you have strong self-discipline, you will still apply for jobs on the days you’re not feeling motivated. You will still network and reach out to new people on the days when your mind seems to be running all over the place. That’s why being self-disciplined is so important!

Ultimately, your discipline as an athlete gives you a unique advantage, leading to five key benefits in your job search:

5 Benefits of Strong Self-Discipline in Your Career:

• Creates good habits. Developing good habits is a great way to put yourself on the path to success. With self-discipline, it becomes easier to hold yourself accountable and create good habits in your career, like a weekly networking routine or daily follow-ups.
• Helps you focus. The ability to focus during a game is crucial. Self-discipline helps you focus on the task at hand and work against any distractions you may be dealing with, such as an endless social media feed or a daunting list of job applications.
• Increases self-confidence. As your self-discipline improves, a new sense of confidence will be felt. This is due to the pride you take in mastering your actions and the knowledge that you are in control. The confidence you get from controlling your mindset is not something that can be found anywhere else.
• Helps you achieve mastery. To become great at any skill, many hours of practice must be put forth. Such work takes great self-discipline to stick with. It requires you to force yourself to repeat simple tasks over and over until a skill is mastered.
• Overcomes procrastination. Procrastination is the enemy of success. Self-discipline provides you the power to overcome it and do what you know must be done, whether it’s updating your resume or researching a company before an interview.

4 Steps to Apply Your Athletic Discipline to a Job Search

Luckily, self-discipline can be developed. Even if right now you feel like you struggle with it, you can take steps to get better. Here are four steps you can take to begin practicing and increasing your self-discipline in your job search today.

Step 1: Find Your Motivation Before you begin to work on self-discipline, there has to be motivation. This is what will push you through the tough times and keep you focused. You must decide what your motivation is for wanting to land a job.

For a student-athlete, this motivation is often intrinsic. You are not just looking for a job to make money; you are motivated by a desire to be the best and win at something new. By focusing on that internal drive, you can push through the inevitable rejections and setbacks.

Step 2: Take Small Steps You can’t become a master overnight. The same goes for your job search. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself, as that will likely lead to failure and frustration. The key is to take small, consistent steps over a long period. Think of this as setting little goals for yourself, such as sending out five applications a day or connecting with two new people on LinkedIn each week.

Step 3: Keep a “Discomfort” Journal The first step toward progress is always outside your comfort zone. Building self-discipline is no different. It requires you to continually test yourself, pushing ever further outside what is comfortable. To help you stay on track, keep a “discomfort journal.” In it, write down what you did that pushed you out of your comfort zone. This could be reaching out to a company you admire, cold-emailing an executive, or asking for feedback after an interview.

Step 4: Practice Saying NO! “No” is a very underused word. We often feel guilty about telling others no, and we seldom tell ourselves no enough. However, if you wish to build truly incredible self-discipline, then “no” must become a frequently used word in your vocabulary.

When thinking about saying “no” in terms of building self-discipline, there are two facets: saying “no” to others and saying “no” to yourself.

• Saying No to Others: This means saying no to things that take you away from your job search, whether it’s a social event or another commitment. As you become more disciplined in saying “no” to others, you’ll find more time to focus on your own goals.
• Saying No to Yourself: One of the toughest things to do is to say no to ourselves. It means saying no to a distracting video game or watching a TV show instead of preparing for an interview. If you want to build self-discipline and land a great job, it is a habit you must adopt.

Final Thoughts

The discipline you’ve honed as an athlete is an incredible asset for your professional life. It will lead to more consistency and more success in your job search. You will find it easier to create new habits and focus, and your self-confidence will grow. By following the four steps outlined above, you can begin building incredible discipline in your job search.