Who am I now that I no longer play sport?

A common issue faced by retiring athletes is a loss of identity. How do you cope?




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Retire from Sport...Not from Winning!

The new home for retired athletes is ready and waiting for you. Rather than retiring to pasture, this virtual home is for those athletes that still have a fire within to achieve success. Perhaps you don't have that fire right now, but I'm betting you wish you did.
You didn't play sport just to have fun and participate. You played sport because of the thrill of competition and the rewards attained. Even when you lost you were still a winner because how you played the game.
How are you playing the Game now? Are you still playing in life like a winner? When you realise that you can still create success in something new, then you will also realise you have all the resources inside to play a big game in life.
The problem for retiring athletes is that they forget to set new goals or to even dream of succeeding in something new. They may focus on getting a new job or career but if their heart is not in it, then what is driving them?
I want to help because I went through the struggles of life after sport. It wasn't until I found a new passion and relit the fire inside that I was once again a goal-seeking missile achieving everything I set my heart to. You can too.
Find out how you can be supported and learn the tools to unlocking the fire within by visiting www.successbeyondsport.com now. There is a free Ecourse to get you started.

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

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.

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?

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