Sports are a huge passion of mine. I’ve traveled the world to play roundnet, including on the 2025 USA Roundnet Team and competing in the Pan-American Roundnet Championship in Buenos Aires. I also enjoy pickleball, bowling, and volleyball. 

I’m a huge believer that sports are a great way for us to learn more about ourselves as individuals, as professionals, and especially as leaders. They put us in tough situations and help us build mental and emotional fortitude. 

I hand-picked three sports leadership books for business leaders and all professionals, just in time for National Book Lovers Day on August 9. Each book explores the parallels between sports and the approach to leadership – and winning through continuous improvement. 

These leadership lessons might sound familiar 

I can be my best and worst self in sports, experiencing some of the highest highs – pure euphoria from playing well and winning – and my lowest lows, coming away from the court feeling disappointment, low self-esteem, and even anger. 

Business professionals and executives experience the same ups and downs on the job. And we learn important lessons by observing and improving the ways we perform and respond. What about you? 

• Who are you when you’re in stressful situations? 

• What are you like when your to-do list is overflowing and deadlines are approaching? 

• Do you show up as your best self even when the pressure is on? 

The qualities that make someone a good athlete – discipline, resilience, teamwork, strategic thinking, and mental toughness – are the same qualities that define effective business leaders. 

There are great insights and inspiration for all readers and aspiring leaders in the books highlighted below. 

Game-changing books for today’s business champions and organizations 

All of the following books discuss sports, especially tennis and golf, which are primarily singles sports as opposed to team sports. Certainly, team sports like basketball, football, roundnet, and others can teach essential skills that are useful in work, sports, and life. 

In individual sports, however, just like in the business world, there are often no other people to help bring you up when you feel low. And you often bear sole responsibility for wins and losses alike. Who are you when you’re the one responsible for the outcome?  

Find out who you can become in one or more of these books on sports and the philosophy of leadership. Role models and dominant teams are made through resources like these! 

“The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance”  

by W. Timothy Gallway, author of the bestselling series on personal and professional excellence 

• It’s not just for athletes. 

• Learn to overcome self-doubt. 

• Achieve relaxed concentration.  

• Unlock your own potential. 

• Learn how to succeed long-term.  

“How Champions Think: In Sports and in Life”  

by Bob Rotella, sports psychologist 

• Rotella explores what could be holding you back in your own mind.  

• Move through the world and accomplish things you didn’t think you’d be able to do.  

“Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life” 

by Jim Murphy, top mental skills coach 

• Develop self-mastery and let go of what you can’t control. 

• Overcome anxiety and build powerful mental habits. 

• Remove mental blocks and get out of your own way. 

• Train your subconscious mind.  

Be your best professional self: Find success through continuous improvement 

Just like mindful athletes aim to improve their performance in sports, the most effective professionals and business leaders never stop looking for new ideas, perspectives, and successful strategies to outperform the competition.  

Whether you’re building your own leadership skills, trying to create successful coaches for your team, or need inspiration to elevate your team players, these sports leadership books offer timeless lessons that translate directly to successful business outcomes. 

And when you’re ready to find and onboard your organization’s next exceptional leader, Goodwin Recruiting experts are here to help. We specialize in connecting companies with influential, high-impact management professionals who know the importance of team building and how to drive results. 

Contact the Goodwin Recruiting Client Solutions team to find the leader who will help shape your organization’s future.