“Okay, I want you to get into pairs and set-up for this next training drill”
For the introverted sports fan, that’s one of the worst sentences in the world to hear when you finally take the brave move to join a new sports team. Let’s be honest, joining a sports team on your own or even with a friend is a daunting task, even for people who aren’t introverts.
You have to break into the clique, portray yourself as one of the group whilst also keeping up your defences. If like many of us, you neither have the will nor the inclination to put yourself through something like that but still love the thrill of competition, you need to find the perfect game for introverts.
Luckily, you’ve come to the right place as below there is a list of just a few games ideally suited for the socially reticent.
Poker
Team sports can be a nightmare for introverts, fortunately, in poker, the cards in your hand are the closest you’re going to get to a teammate. If you wanted, you could quite easily get through a couple of hours of poker action without ever muttering more than the odd word.
In fact, your shyness could actually benefit you in this game and contribute to you making a heap of cash. Whenever anyone learns how to play poker, the first question they always ask is, ‘How do I bluff?’
Bluffing is unique to poker, there’s barely any other game in the world where you can actually win money and destroy your opponents by making what is technically a bad play. To pull off a successful bluff, you need to be able to control your emotions and give nothing away to your fellow players.
That’s child’s play for an introvert, simply play away, keep yourself to yourself and don’t be flamboyant – just a standard day! Poker is perfect as well because if you’re too shy to get down and play in real life at a table, you can always pick up your phone and play online.
Golf
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, sports can be really tough for introverts, considering almost everyone involves a team. Single-player sports that you can play completely on your own are therefore your best option.
Tennis, boxing and other individual sports are all good options but, ultimately, you’re going to have to come out of your comfort zone to play them. Whether that’s talking to another player on the tennis court or getting some tips from a boxing coach in the gym.
Golf is the absolute best sport to play for introverts. Principally, you can play completely on your own, whether that be at the driving range or by yourself at a golf course. However, it’s also a great sport to play because it significantly reduces stress, whilst also keeping you healthy and boosting creativity.
Most golf courses are situated in picturesque places and are flanked with stunningly manicured trees and hedges. Recent studies in Japan have shown that proximity to trees, hedges and green space have enormous psychological benefits on humans, helping to reduce pulse rate and levels of cortisol – a major stress hormone.
Oh, and it’s also fun. Recent figures suggest that there are over 60 million regular golf players worldwide and they can’t all be wrong!
If you’re a beginner or a high handicapper looking to start your golf journey, make sure to check The Left Rough for the best irons specifically designed for players like you. They offer a range of irons that are forgiving, easy to hit, and designed to help you improve your game.
Football Manager
To most people, an introvert is simply a person that doesn’t like to be around others and prefers their own company. However, another key defining factor of an introvert is a keen imagination that is often prone to introspection.
That may sound like a good thing, but we all know that too much imagination and introspection can lead to damaging thoughts and in turn, poor mental health. One of the best ways to avoid that is to put your characteristics to good use, and there is no better game in the world than Football Manager to do just that.
This soccer simulation game allows you to control every single detail of the club or franchise that you pick to manage. How fit should your players be? Who should be leading offensive coaching today? What strategy will you go to if your team concede an early goal?
You can control literally all of these things in Football Manager and almost everything else you can think of too. What’s even better about this game is that it requires real introspection and imagination to enjoy and succeed at it.
Questioning your every decision whilst playing Football Manager is a good thing, it helps you be successful and make the right calls. Then comes the imagination. It’s not good enough to simply take control of a club and accept that for what it is. Why were you offered the job in the first place? What’s your backstory? What are your credentials?
Countless documentaries have been filmed and numerous books have been written about this very topic. Plenty of players have been known to form their own backstory for their manager and even wear a suit and tie for cup final fixtures.
If you ever find yourself struggling with introspection and an over-active imagination, this is the ideal game for you. Just be careful though, it’s hella addictive!
