Now, contrast watching sports with playing sports, which involves tremendous activity and sweat. There is a major difference! One group is having the time of their lives by pushing themselves to a new level of exertion and competition. The other group is quietly watching a satellite or video taped episode of someone else on the field playing their hearts out. Here are some of the startling differences between two common words, with totally different meanings in really living life instead of just watching it.

Amusement or Recreation?

How can you tell if an activity is just amusement or a form of recreation? Contrast if you are

Watching or Doing?

Lazy or Active?                                  

No sweat or Sweating?

No discipline required or actual Discipline required?

No health benefit or Some health benefit?

Isolation-mostly alone or Social connection with others?

No teamwork required or some Teamwork required?

Think about if for a second. You can participate in amusement by wearing ugly or baggy clothes, perhaps even your pajamas! Recreation involves some type of dress code, uniform, or equipment. For instance, most golf courses require you to meet a very specific dress code to play, as do many tennis courts. Scuba divers need a certain type of equipment, as do bowlers and mountain bikers, and of course every teenager knows that basketball players can jump higher if they wear their favorite brand of shoes!

Recreation is doing something with others and creating an experience that results in creating more value for you and those that you share it with. Recreation keeps you young at heart and is usually good for your heart.

Amusement tends to shut off your brain and body; which can lead to the multiple health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Does this mean that you should never watch the game on TV? Nope. It means that you have to get honest with the real reasons behind your behavior. Understand what motivates you to do things, especially any activity that might stand in the way of a more successful life. Even seemingly innocent things, like watching football or re-runs of I Love Lucy could become a roadblock to experiencing real life. Leonardo DaVinci was likely thinking through the same issue when he said,

“Just as iron rusts from disuse, so does inaction spoil the intellect.”

So ask yourself, “Does this activity help me have a more successful life?” Sometimes it’s hard to tell, so here’s the balancing formula to protect re-creation, while still taking advantage of the benefits from amusement.