We all know that the ability to swim is an important life skill to have. However, few people use this particular skill on a daily basis. Does that mean that swimming classes don’t have an impact on our daily lives? Not at all. In fact, we believe there are at least five everyday life skills swimming classes teach us.

1. Measuring Progress One Step at a Time

Having big goals is important; we should all have something important we strive for. But when you measure progress strictly by attaining those goals, it’s easy to burn out well before you get there or skip important steps with the hope of getting to where we want to be sooner.

Swimming does not allow for skipping steps, nor does it allow for measuring progress strictly by the big goals. It’s a sport that progresses in baby steps, even for the most talented of swimmers. Anyone who practices swimming for any length of time will be able to look at the big goals in life in terms of the little steps it takes to get there and feel rewarded by each little goal they achieve.

2. Having Patience for the Journey

Patience has always been an important skill. However, it’s rarer and rarer nowadays. Thanks to social media, one-day shipping, and streaming services, our culture as a whole is becoming accustomed to getting what they want, when they want it. Patience is no longer expected, making it an in-demand skill.

But as noted above, progress in swimming isn’t something you can rush. It doesn’t come in hours, days, or even weeks. Swimmers have to be ready to commit to frequent practice over the long term.

3. Accepting That Temporary Setbacks are Part of Life

Even the best of the best don’t win every time. Regardless, it’s human nature to be upset by loss. But, most people don’t enjoy being around sore losers. This means that we need to condition ourselves to accept that sometimes we are going to lose, and that’s okay. Success only comes through trial and error, after all.

Every swimmer will have bad races. Every swimmer will have those moments where their performance doesn’t reflect their full ability or the time they have put into practice. To keep going, they have to learn how to bounce back and learn from their mistakes. But, with some practice and perseverance and encouragement from our supportive swim classes, it won’t seem so scary.

4. Understanding the Trap of Perfectionism

Many people are natural-born perfectionists, expecting to always perform at their best 100 percent of the time. And when they don’t, they’re devastated. This doesn’t have to be in a competition. Even in solo practice, these individuals can be very hard on themselves.

Swimming is about progress, not perfection. Students are taught they can become good, even great swimmers, but perfect isn’t possible, regardless of medium. After achieving a goal, a new one follows shortly after. That’s because the process is just as important as the product. Thankfully, students can learn not to be so hard on themselves and celebrate what they achieve. This is beneficial for for all aspects of life.

5. Realizing That Your Mindset Makes a Big Difference

The difference between a good day in the pool and a bad day mostly comes down to the mindset of the swimmer. When you approach your practice or competition with the idea that it’s not going to go well, it will go badly. If you approach it with a positive attitude and belief in yourself, it will be a great experience.

This is true in all areas of life, from taking tests to giving presentations to interviewing for jobs. The sooner we realize the impact our mindset has on our success, the sooner we can learn to reframe our thoughts. Swimming is a fun and safe way to develop this skill.

Develop These Skills and More With Blue Buoy

These life skills may not be things you can put on a resume, but they’re skills that can carry people to greater success. Our instructors excel at helping both children and adults use swimming to improve themselves in and out of the water. If you want to learn more about our programs, stop by our school and schedule your sample class.

We look forward to working with you.