Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Recreate that locker room feeling

One of the things mentioned by retired athletes about what they miss about sport is the ‘locker-room’ camaraderie that sport provides. As an athlete you hang around a supportive sporting community with like-minded friends and colleagues. Everyone shares a common objective and passion in life. It’s not uncommon for sporting relationships to extend beyond the sporting field to personal life and this can result in an athlete’s life revolving around sport and its contacts.
So what happens when the athlete retires? Do they stay within the sporting community? Many athletes, including the collegiate athlete, leave the sporting community to pursue new goals and a career. How can they recreate that same feeling of camaraderie that encouraged and supported them during sport?
It's time to create a new community and a new network of friends and like-minded people that can relate to your new career and interests. Hang around with supportive people that believe in you and your dreams.
The more people you have in your network, and know about your goals and dream, the more likely you will achieve what you want to achieve. Start sharing your dream with others. You will be amazed at how you come across people who know somebody who knows somebody that can help you.
Like-minded people will help you to push through the setbacks and persist until you do achieve your goals. Who do you need to hang around to start realizing your dreams? Read more

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Dajka,Darcy - there is life after sport

I'm saddened to hear that another athlete has succumbed to the negative pressures of sport. A talented Australian cyclist, Jobie Dajka, was found dead on 8 April seemingly unable to deal with the aftermath of expulsion from the 2004 Olympic team for lying to a doping enquiry. The following year, an altercation with the Australian track cycling coach, Martin Barras, added to his woes which included depression and alcoholism.
Australian Swimmer Nick Darcy now faces a similar life situation - expulsion from the Australian Swimming team for a criminal conviction. What choices will he make with his life? Does he know that he has choices?
Dajka apparently warned Darcy of the dangers of bottling things inside and not seeking help. Its a shame that Dajka didn't take his own advice and seek help for his inner demons.
There is more to life than sport but when an individual's identity is so wrapped up with being an athlete it can be hard to consider the life outside. Identity governs everything we do, and when that is lost a person will feel confused and lost. They might make the mistake of thinking that without sport they are nothing.
In fact the opposite is true. They can do so much more, if they choose to, and seek the help to discover a new passion and most importantly, a new identity.
Yes, it is possible to change but it takes awareness of the need to change, a desire to do something about it and seeking help and support.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Model greatness - Michael Jordan to be Hall of Famer

If you want to get better results than you want to model the actions of others who have achieved those results. If you're going to model greatness in sport, than you would want to consider studying the likes of Michael Jordan. It was announced this week that he will be a Hall of Famer, to be inducted in September.
Jordan had certain qualities which brought him success - these included work ethic, responsibility, determination, persistence and competitive drive. These are qualities of a champion.
These same qualities can produce results on and off the field, which is why athletes can go on to recreate success in new areas IF they remember to apply themselves in the same manner.
Sometimes the persistence and determination goes missing when an athlete retires. It could be a lack of direction, or it could be that new goals do not ignite the same passion and excitement that the sporting goals did. In order to effectively live a fulfilling life after sport, its important to find goals that excite you and drives you to move forward to it each and every day. Once again, like sport, it won't feel like work, but a natural part of life. How would you like to live every day like that?
You can find out more during a free teleCall - find out details at www.successbeyondsport.com
You can reinvent your life with a new path and belief in your new goals. What do you think? How are you coping with life after sport?