Reinvention

I recently read an article by Mara Yamauchi titled “Retirement, or reinvention?” It got me thinking, is “retire” an appropriate word to use for athletes as they move onto the next stage of their career? 

When athletes announce their “retirement”, it signifies the end of how they have identified themselves for many years. “Laura the athlete” now becomes who? 

So, did I retire, or have I just reinvented myself? I prefer the latter and can see how this is relevant to my transition from athlete to coach and athlete to civilian. Certainly, having a succession plan has helped with this reinvention.

It would be easy to turn my back on “Laura the athlete” as I transition into the next chapter of my life. But why would I? The personality traits that helped me achieve as an athlete are now being reinvented as I find my way as a coach. 

As an athlete I was disciplined, doing the same things day after day with the same enthusiasm. As a coach I am now instilling this enthusiasm around the basic things in the athletes I work with. Also, being disciplined enough myself to remain focussed on the basics, not getting caught up in the “fancy stuff”. 

As an athlete I was goal orientated, focussing on certain competitions each season and knowing exactly what I needed to do to get there. As a coach I now help athletes achieve their targets for the season with clear KPI’s to inform the journey. Having those landmarks along the way are very important for people who are goal orientated, it allows you to feel a sense of achievement within the long journey. 

As an athlete I was determined, always finding a way to achieve what I had set out to do, not letting setbacks or challenges throw me off track. As a coach I now help athletes find solutions to the array of problems they face in trying to achieve their targets. Challenging them to “work it out” in their quest to achieve what they have set out to do. 

All the traits I relied on as an athlete are still there, they are just being utilised in a different way now. As part of this reinvention, I have also added more strings to my bow, exploring more of the qualities that will help me succeed as a coach. Being empathetic, a team player and being more open minded. 

This reinvention doesn’t stop at personality traits. Since I stopped competitive athletics, I have remained active. I thought I was fit for the average human. I am. But my body is not used to being the average human. I got caught in the trap of thinking I do not need to be as fit as I used to be. And I don’t. But my body has got used to a certain level of fitness and strength so when it dropped away I started running into problems. Most recently a back problem and multiple calf strains. So, although I know I am not an elite athlete anymore, my body hasn’t quite got that memo. I have had to reinvent myself as a “fitter than average civilian” rather than a “retired athlete” which conjures up images of being over-weight and lazy. I have found that I need to set myself goals in order to remain motivated with exercise. I have competed in a couple of weightlifting competitions and play competitive netball. 

Amongst this reinvention, it would be easy to let “athlete” or “coach” define me. Instead I look at my personal values; feeling fit and healthy, having something that challenges me daily; a career goal; supportive family and friends (who I actually get to see now, although my sister will argue that I am away just as much now as I was when I was an athlete). Remembering what is important to me (my values) will always keep me focussed on the present and help make good decisions about the future. 

Retirement suggests an end point. I do not think it is as simple as one door closing and another one opening. One thing leads onto another. I am still the same person with the same personality traits, the same values. My accrued experiences have allowed me to reinvent myself.

You can read the article by Mara here