Highly Successful People Usually Have 7 Hobbies That Make Them More Strategic & Resilient
PeopleImages | Shutterstock For successful people, hobbies are all about honing skills like resilience and strategy to keep them at the top of their game while also having some fun.
To maintain their success, they need to always be thinking three steps ahead, working smarter, not harder. And at the same time, they need to be resilient because not every idea is a great one.
Hobbies that make the most successful people more strategic and resilient:
1. They play chess to learn to think ahead
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Chess is first and foremost a mind game. It requires players to try to think several steps ahead of their opponent in order to defend their queen. Chess also requires players to understand that sometimes there are necessary sacrifices if you want to win. It's all about the strategy.
People who are highly successful play chess because of how much strategy goes into it. It's low stakes to learn how to think three steps ahead on a chessboard rather than in your day-to-day life. Chess also has players practicing pattern recognition once they've gotten good.
When they've seen a board look a certain way before, they stop calculating every possible move that could go next and start understanding what will most likely happen next due to past patterns.
2. They play poker to understand how other people think
Similarly to chess, people who are highly successful play poker because it centers around learning how to read other people. You have to pay attention to tiny details to recognize when someone is bluffing and how to position yourself in the best way to win based solely on reading their cues.
Being able to read people well is important for success because not everyone behaves the same way. You have to learn how to interact with and, in many cases, mediate between all different personalities. Not everyone is forthcoming, so reading non-verbal cues is essential in interpersonal relationships.
3. They create art so they can embrace slowing down and thinking outside the box
Creating art takes a lot of time and patience. Highly successful people know this and choose artistic hobbies because they force them to slow down from their busy lives for a moment, and that's when new ideas are born.
Not only do successful people get to relax and calm down while creating art, but they are also building resilience with it as well. Studies have shown that creative hobbies boost cognitive function and decrease symptoms of anxiety and stress. It's an outlet that prevents burnout and offers a time to think and imagine new ideas.
4. They go on walks with no specific goal, just to be in the moment
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Going on a walk without a specific goal may seem silly, but it's actually really good for you. Walking in general is great for the mind and body; however, walking without headphones and taking in the nature around you can really help you relax.
Highly successful people go on aimless walks because, over time, this hobby builds emotional recovery. Walking without a goal, without listening to anything, and just allowing yourself to take in the scenery helps your nervous system return to homeostasis naturally, and then you can do that during your day-to-day life as well.
5. They play a team sport to remember the importance of working together
Being part of a team is not only fun and a great way to make adult friends, but it also builds teamwork skills alongside strategy skills.
Being on a team is all about working well with others, especially when strategizing a game plan. Playing a team sport also shows a person's ability to work under pressure, and these skills are things highly successful people excel at.
6. They learn a new language because they enjoy the challenge
Learning a new language at any age is difficult; however, highly successful people don't walk away from a challenge.
Studies have found that activities that involve learning and curiosity can build cognitive resilience. In fact, the study suggested that engaging with new material is the key to building neuroplasticity, which is our brain's ability to adapt to new information and rewire itself when taught something new.
7. They like to read across different genres to stay sharp and empathetic
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Reading is a hobby that builds empathy and improves learning. However, choosing a different genre with each book you pick up also helps build cognitive resilience.
People who are highly successful do this because of the way that this integration affects the brain. Reading goes from a passive hobby to a building block for their cognitive resilience and personal growth.
Lyss Micalizzi is a writer covering human interest and pop culture, with a master’s in Literature and Culture, a bachelor’s in English Literary and Textual Studies, and over six years of writing and social media experience.
