For elite athletes who have given blood, sweat, and tears for their chosen sport, retirement is often a terrifying prospect, potentially leaving them lacking a sense of identity, community, and purpose, not to mention the financial implications.
Throughout their sporting careers, athletes make incredible sacrifices in the pursuit of glory, adhering to punishing training regimes, moving away from family, sacrificing personal relationships, and, in many cases, calling time on their academic studies early. Irrespective of whether they have reached the pinnacle of their sport and achieved Olympic glory, many athletes have a tough time when their career draws to a close, whether that is due to injury, age, or exhaustion.
Sense of Identity
Not only are retired athletes released from the rigors of a grueling training regime, but they also risking losing their sense of identity. Up until this point, their entire lives have been built around their sport, traveling the world for events, listening to the roar of the crowd, and feeling the rush of adrenaline with every success. Take all of that away, and what are they left with?
Many retired athletes struggle to adapt to “regular life” outside of the limelight. The termination of an athlete’s sporting career, particularly where it was unanticipated and due to factors beyond their control, can have dramatic consequences on their mental health, as well as their social, personal, and occupational lives, according to a study by Taylor and Ogilvie published in 1994. Studies suggest that the way an athlete leaves their sport can have a big impact on their ability to deal with the sense of loss, with more pronounced negative effects for professionals who do not retire voluntarily.
Exploring New Ventures
Everyone is different, of course. Not all athletes struggle to make the transition. Victoria Pendleton, a British Olympic champion cyclist, described her “extreme relief” on retiring after the London Games, explaining that she had come to see the pressure of competing as a burden and that, relinquished of it, she was excited to explore new ventures in her life.
Chasing a dream makes us feel alive, giving us a rush, and a sense of purpose and meaning. Add to this fan admiration, personal growth, confidence, and money, and this heady mix leaves athletes on top of the world every time they accomplish one of their goals. Take away these dreams, however, and it can be a slippery slope. The following are important steps for retired athletes seeking to build a fulfilling, exciting life in a world outside of sports.
Acceptance
As life coach Tony Robbins points out, it is impossible to be grateful and angry simultaneously. It is vital for retired sportswomen and men to move past feelings of resentment and anger, practicing gratitude, first and foremost that they actually had the opportunity to experience the life of a professional athlete in the first place, an achievement that precious few people can claim. It is crucial for retiring athletes to accept that their career is drawing to a close, recognizing that it is time to start a new chapter, rising to the challenge of finding a new vocation to invest their time and energies into.
Be Proactive
While some athletes start researching potential second careers, and even training for them, long before they hang up their running shoes, others avoid thinking about it until the last possible moment. The great news is that athletes possess a wide variety of skills that are highly desirable in many other careers, particularly in the business world. Many organizations, programs, and resources have been created to support retired athletes, helping them to train for and build rewarding, lucrative second careers.
Leverage Your Sporting Career
Successful athletes boast a wealth of experiences and raw sporting abilities that can be leveraged to add extra weight to a resume, or job or college application form. A career in sports demonstrates that you have the passion, perseverance, focus, and determination necessary to compete at elite level, which can be a compelling endorsement for a university admissions department or potential employer.
Find Your New Passion
If you already have an interest in a specific field, this deserves to be explored in full, carefully weighing up the reality, since this is often very different to what we imagine. For a successful second career, the former athlete needs to find something that excites them as much as their sport once did, be that the industry they work in, the company they work for, or a new product they are working on. Essentially, they need something they feel passionate and motivated about.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Sportsmen and women are masters of positive thinking. For retired athletes, it is crucial to align themselves with people who support their move, avoiding individuals who drag them down. There are many support networks for retired athletes transitioning to post-sports life. In addition, finding a mentor could be a great way to help identify the right career path for you.