These posts are part of a series in which we examine three of the major understandings that are required of athletes in competition that also apply readily to the search for fulfillment and success in life after sports. Ultimately, while there are challenges in adapting to life after competition, we are equipped by our experiences […]
Ebbs and Flows
The cyclical nature of sports, and how that relates to fulfillment. One of the realities of life as a competitive athlete is that our lives are very much subject to the cycles of our sport. Those cycles exist within different scopes of time, ranging from a year (Think preseason-season-postseason-offseason) or a competition (More like game […]
The Post-Competition Paradox of Priorities
Why we can feel successful but not fulfilled in life after competition. Most people who live in the more serious levels of sport have the same list in their heads while they are competing. We compile a list of all the cool things we are going to do once we are done competing. It could […]
The Physical Imbalance of a Competitive Edge
How to approach fitness after competition using a training mindset. At some time in life after competition, most former athletes come to a point where they realize that there is a considerable shift underway in their physical conditioning. We can experience it by design as we shift the types of workouts we use, or the […]
Spectatorship after competition: Can we enjoy our sport as a casual fan after we walk away?
There is an experience that is shared by all former athletes after they step out of a competitive world. At some point, we find ourselves as a spectator for the first time, sitting in the stands or watching on the TV focused primarily on the entertainment value. Yet, the experience goes deeper than that, as […]
Anger as Fuel: Is anger a useful form of motivation?
Among the many different emotions that impact motivation, anger and fear are the two that feature most prominently in the ways in which athletes fuel their competitive drive. We harness them both in different ways and different situations, and they can either carry us or cripple us depending upon how we handle them. As we […]