Kicking the “what now” to the curb

So, perhaps you find yourself in the “what now’ place that follows many years of being quite clear on your identity…your identity as an athlete. In my work on myself and with other athletes going through the transition beyond athletics, I have found that the “what now” question can play out in a myriad of different ways. When stuck in the “what now” life may seem drab, unexciting, and powerless. It is not uncommon to feel a lack of connection or a sense of isolation. Certainly, a lack of enthusiasm accompanied by muddling through one day to the next can occur.

If this is not meeting with your liking, which I am guessing is true of any athlete in transition, I have good news! By the mere fact that you have realized you are in the “what now” you have taken an important step towards moving through it into a more rewarding and exciting life. The trick, here, is figuring out which way to go and what you want to do. If a new passion to follow doesn’t just naturally present itself to you (which, if you are stuck in the “what now” I suspect it hasn’t) then it is time to start digging in to figure it out. 

The journey from “what now” can seem a daunting trek, especial for you athletes out there who started competing at a very young age and didn’t develop many interests outside of your sport while growing up. But don’t let this trek overwhelm you. You’ll crest the mountain in no time if you take things one step at a time. Here is a challenge to get you started.

What interests you? Compile a list of you interests or ideas you find intriguing or curious. These can be things of interest in the past, things you always thought “might be interesting” but you never had the time to check into them, possible new hobbies, things you just kind of like doing, and so on. Don’t mentally edit during this process. There is no right or wrong and it makes no difference if it seems realistic or possible. If someone else’s voice pops into your head suggesting the idea isn’t right or good enough, ignore them. All ideas get down on the list.

Start this process by sitting down and writing down as many ideas as you can come up with in a 30-60 minute period (if on a roll, don’t let the clock stop you!) But don’t stop here. Continue to ponder ideas over several days to several weeks. In fact this is a list that can be forever ongoing. As new interests arise, keep track of them. You never know how they may come together up the trail.

Don’t be surprised if after awhile of pondering and recording ideas the flood gates open wide and all sorts of ideas float to the surface. Our one-track-mindedness that we develop as athletes has taught us to filter out the distractions. Now it is time to broaden our focus and embrace the things dancing around in the periphery. Getting clear on your interests will take the zip right out of the “what now”. Instead of meeting the “what now” with that feeling of isolation or uncertainty, it will be possible to say, “which of these many options do I want to go after?”

Good luck with your challenge. Share a post and let me know how it goes! If you find you are stuck and would like support, post that too! I am happy to support you in kicking “what now” to the curb.

 

 

 

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