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Life after track: What’s next when the identity crisis hits?

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With some high profile US athletes retiring as Olympic selection eludes them, it’s got me thinking about the journey that awaits them as they transition into ‘normal’ life.

People were surprised when, not long after victory at the Europa Cup in 2009, I announced my retirement from international athletics. It was my job for over a decade and my passion for nearly two.  Some thought it premature but, after seasons ravaged with injury, I felt deeply that my time was over. Oddly enough, it was not a hard decision in the end.

‘Retirement’ was something I felt hopeful about, even though the word retirement is steeped in negativity for a relative youngster.

I wasn’t entirely prepared for the identity crisis it provokes and the often overwhelming sense of ‘who am I now?’

When your happiness is too closely linked with how fast you can run, what happens when you can’t run fast anymore? You start to think how, or if, you’ll ever have that ‘personal best’ feeling again.

I’ve been happily retired for a number of years now and am fortunate to have carved out a successful career away from the track. However, it was not a simple transition.  Here are a few things that I realise have helped:

  1. Work out what motivates you: Easier said than done but what is it that makes you want to get out of bed? Is it about being physically active or working towards a goals? Is it about being part of a team or individual performance? Do you enjoy variety or a singular focus? I think working this stuff out early can be so helpful. I realised pretty quickly that I wanted to be responsible for my own success and that working for somebody else would never satisfy me.
  2. Get clear on your strengths and skills: Running fast will not help you to forge a new career so work out what else you have to offer. Can you communicate well with people? Can you build relationships quickly? Can you work well in a team? Do you perform under pressure? These things matter in  practically every job.
  3. Ask people for advice: The best piece of advice I had in 2009 was to ‘pick things up and put them down before deciding’. Clearly you can’t do this for ever but I did it for a year. I worked as a recruitment consultant and learnt the basics of selling. I worked in sports development and learnt how to operate in a team and basic administrative skills like Microsoft Office, how to run an effective meeting and how to communicate in a professional context.
  4. Make sure you transfer what’s transferable: It’s all too easy for ex sports people to say they have transferable skills but they need to be demonstrable. Are you willing to work harder than others to catch up and to learn new things? Do you know how to transfer your drive and determination into a working environment? Find a mentor who can help. My mentor was instrumental to fulfilment  in my ‘new normal’. He was supportive and brutally honest.
  5. Be passionate: Open your mind to new possibilities and be passionate about opportunities. Accept that you many need to start further down the ladder than you had hoped. That won’t last long if you apply yourself but it has the potential to dent your ego after years of focus on your performance. Be ok with it.
  6. Be willing to learn: You will have to learn new skills and let go of some elements of your former identity. That takes time but if you find something you’re truly passionate about and are willing to learn, that PB feeling will come.
  7. Finally, don’t assume your future has to be in sport. Yes, it’s what you know most about and may make the easiest first step but exploring other avenues is also beneficial. I learnt the most in my spell as a recruiter even though it wasn’t the long-term solution. I needed space away from sport and it was the perfect first step.

Tim Benjamin is Managing Director of The Fitness Space, the UK’s fastest growing fitness franchise.

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