To reinvent yourself as an athlete

What does it mean?

There comes a time in every person's life, especially if you're an athlete, when reinventing yourself is not simply an option but a mandatory step for continuity.

When things are running smoothly in your life, among all the adrenaline, success and glory, you tend to forget that you're getting old and retirement is slowly creeping up on you. This is why having a clear game plan (no pun intended) early on about your future is necessary for survival.

Reinventing yourself is not about changing your clothing style, haircut or car. It means transforming yourself inside out to reach a better state in life that enables you to keep moving forward and figuring out the answer to the question 'Who do you want to be next?'

As an athlete, it's terrifying to think about the day you will forever retire from playing professional sports. Fear is very normal and expected as you are ending a big chapter in your life that made you who you are. You think that might lose became. However, from what I've learned, retiring at a young age is an amazing opportunity to transform into whoever you want.

Think of it as being alive twice. Many people don't get this privilege! They stick to their chosen career for 40-50 years and never get the chance to explore all the other options they could be.

Reinventing yourself could mean two things: starting from zero and building from where you stand. Both are scary and challenging in their own ways. For me it was a mix of both. As I was starting my basketball career, I was getting my BA in Marketing. My sports career took off fast and I hid my degree in some forgotten drawer at home, that is until I felt that retirement is closer than I thought.

This is when I decided to dig up my marketing and business knowledge and use them to reinvent myself. I was still going hard and heavy on the court, but I kept my next vision right in front of me the entire time. I worked harder on developing my connections and network in the sports field, knowing that someday I will be able to make a call to one of these connections and get the help and support I need in my new career. And I did!

"As an athlete, it's terrifying to think about the day you will forever retire from playing professional sports.

Today, after so much hard work and dedication, I'm finally the businessman I've envisioned I'd be.

Moving on to my next goal wasn't as easy as it sounds. There was a lot of doubt and fear at the beginning. Fear is the biggest enemy you could have.

So what do you do about fear?

Failure is the main reason behind fear. I think the most important thing a professional athlete can learn from their career is how to adapt and learn. I've faced a couple of injuries that could have instantly ended my career. I've lost many games and championships. But loss never made me lose hope.

"Failure is the main reason behind fear. I've lost many games and championships. But loss never made me lose hope.

Fear is completely manageable, as long as you take the right actions:

Start early. If you're scared of the future, don't wait until you're there to start working on it.
Visualize your fears. Once you see them in front of you, you might realise that most of them don't make sense. And if they're legit fears, it will be easier to plan on how to overcome them.
Come up with a plan at least a year in advance. You will have enough time to look into the resources needed to reach your goals.
Open up. Working in silence is best, but that doesn't mean you have to go through it alone. Reach out for the help of people whom you trust. They might have brilliant solutions and ideas!
Do small things. You cannot change your life overnight. Starting early gives you the advantage to accomplish small things and work up your way towards your goal.
Meet yourself again. Write down the things you think you’re good at, your talents, your perks. These are resources that many forget to use.

Reinventing yourself takes a lot of hard work and dedication. But I promise if you do it right, the pay-off is worth it!

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