Why Team Sports Are Non-Negotiable for Building Resilient Kids

12 snips

Aug 22, 2025

Tony Robbins, renowned self-help author and motivational speaker, discusses the vital role of team sports in fostering resilience in children aged 3-10. He highlights how these sports teach essential life skills like teamwork, handling failure, and leadership, while critiquing the damaging 'everybody wins' mentality. Robbins emphasizes that modern parenting trends may hinder kids' ability to face challenges. The conversation also touches on the impact of NIL deals in college sports and the importance of allowing kids to navigate social dynamics for their growth.

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ADVICE

Enroll Kids In Team Sports Early

Put children in team sports between ages ~3–10 to teach teamwork and resilience.
Sports expose kids to failure, merit, and communication in a condensed life-practice setting.

INSIGHT

Praise Effort, Not Talent

Praising innate talent breaks kids when they face setbacks.
Praise effort and work instead to build persistence and growth.

ADVICE

Don't Shield Kids From Bench Time

Avoid moving kids to easier teams or demanding equal playtime to shield them from hardship.
Let coaches bench players when appropriate so kids learn to handle disappointment and earn minutes.

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Listen to the full episode: https://mindpumppodcast.com/2575-raising-resilient-children-with-jen-cohen/

Team sports aren't just about physical fitness - they're a masterclass in life preparation. In this Fitness Friday excerpt from my Mind Pump Podcast conversation, we dive into why putting your kids in team sports between ages 3-10 is absolutely critical for their development.

We discuss how sports serve as a microcosm of life, teaching kids essential lessons about failure, merit-based performance, and working with difficult people. From learning that someone will always be better than you to discovering natural leadership qualities, sports provide irreplaceable real-world education that no classroom can replicate.

Tune in to discover why the "everybody wins" mentality is robbing children of crucial life lessons and how modern parenting trends are creating a generation unprepared for real-world challenges.

What we discuss:

Why Team Sports Are Essential Between Ages 3-10
The Dangerous Rise of "Everybody Wins" Culture in Youth Sports
How Sports Teach Kids That Someone Will Always Be Better
Why Parents Are Ruining Sports by Praising Talent Over Effort
The Problem with Moving Kids to "Easier" Teams
How NIL Deals Are Destroying Loyalty in College Sports
Why Sports Are Practice for the Game of Life
The Lost Art of Sitting on the Bench and Supporting Teammates
How to Use Sports to Build Natural Leadership Skills

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