It's scary AND exciting - Positive Change

I have had an amazing past month where I was in Maui, Hawaii, which has become my new home. One day my partner and I went out on his sea kayak and had a close encounter with a family of humpback whales – they surfaced just 5 meters (25 feet) away from us, and one of them even swam beneath us. I felt a combination of trepidation, awe and excitement.
It’s the kind of feeling that you might even feel when doing something new. It can be a little scary going through change but positive change is also awe-inspiring and exciting.
I’m excited about the changes I continue to make and I would love to hear about what changes you are making for your future. How have you dealt with change in the past? Whether you are changing out of a sporting career or in some other context, please make a comment. I look forward to hearing from you.

Who are you now that you no longer player sport?

A retired athlete can face challenges in moving on beyond sport regardless of how prepared they think they are. A life committed to sport can result in a strong identification as an athlete or sportsperson and even specifically with the sport that they play.

Rather than looking forward towards a new career, a retired athlete might find themselves looking to the past at how they were, and what they did achieve. They may even make the mistake of thinking that’s all there is.

An individual’s identity has a strong influence over their actions, decisions and even beliefs. Identity is an “I am” statement and a person can have several. A person may identify with their job (I am an electrician), their hobby or interests (I am a good cook) or even their emotions (I am depressed).

Your identity has overarching control over everything you do.... Read more

How identity can affect transition

Many athletes can get stuck on their identity as an athlete or sportsperson. I know I did. For years I kept returning to my sport beach volleyball because that was what I knew and loved and it was also what I was! A strong attachment such as this can prevent someone moving on, particularly if it precludes the individual from being anything other than a sportsperson, for example a business person.
With a change of career on retirement from sport, it takes more than taking on a new job for a successful transition. A retired athlete needs to 'be' the person that goes with the new role. One needs to relate completely in order to be successful and find fulfillment.
What identity do you need to create success in your new career?
As long as an athlete still has the attachment to being a sportsperson, it prevents them from looking ahead to the future new success. Whether the past success was great or magnificent, what matters more is how you use it to create your future.
What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now. ~Author Unknown

Values affect your results and charachter

“Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and nobody truly knows that but you. But you are what matters most.” John Wooden
Your values determine how you play the game, not only on the sports field but more importantly off the sports field. How are you showing up for the game of life?
One of my first volleyball coaches brought my awareness to the teachings of John Wooden, coach of UCLA Basketball Coach for 40 years (ending in ’75) highly regarded as the best coach ever in any sport.
Wooden produced the “Pyramid of Success” which sums up the values that an athlete requires to be truly successful. It’s more than about your ability and skill, which are at the heart of the pyramid surrounded by condition and team spirit.
All the blocks of the pyramid work together towards your success. Any breakdown at any of the blocks my lead to the breakdown of all.
Many of the blocks are based on the athlete’s character and values. Character is built in the unseen succession of little obediences and little acts of determination at trainings.
Results Coaching can help you to discover your values and how they are helping or hindering your road to success. More importantly we can shift these values in order to realign better with your true self and your goals. For example, if you do not value wealth or finances, then this will show up in your results as a lack of financial success. Values are what is important to you and where you spend your time. In what areas of your life are your values letting your down?

When to quit and when to persevere?

For me persevering in my sport was less about self-belief and more a decision and commitment that this is what I am going to do. I had a dream to go to the Olympics and I had my fair share of struggles to get there. In 1998 I was without a beach volleyball partner and wondered whether it was worth continuing to play. I contemplated doing something different - settling down, getting a job.
The thing for me was I would have hated to get to the year 2000 and then think, what if? That was the driving force in my heart and I thought, I have got to keep going for it.
To make a decision it is really finding out within your heart what the answer is. If you are going to quit because “it’s too hard”, then that’s the wrong answer. But if there are new opportunities then that is different. You want to stop doing something only when you see something better. When you see this is where you CAN go. That’s really what I truly believe in, using your internal radar. Trust your instincts and not what other people say. They might not necessarily be the right guide.
Remember, other people may have other ideas about your ability and you don’t want your success to be determined by others. If a coach doesn’t like you or you don’t fit into their game plan then it might be a sign to take a different direction. There may be another, easier path to follow. The important thing is to make a decision.
Challenges are part of the journey and it’s who you become on the way. I worked for a beach volleyball team that aspired to go to Beijing in 2008. They didn’t make it. However, the people they became on the way will strengthen where they go beyond. One of them is still travelling on a World Tour. The other has retired and following a new exciting path - she is still a champion.
The most important thing is who you become along the way as you keep going towards your goal.