Leaping into your next career or adding a side hustle is, in my experience, more psychological than anything else. It is the fear of the unknown and that little voice asking the BIG questions:

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• What if it doesn't work out?
• Do I have transferable skills?
• Am I experienced enough?
• What about my sports identity?
• Who can help me?

Over the last few years, the transition of rugby players and athletes has come to the fore in looking after the whole self. Well-being prioritises mental health and rest periods, something we have observed in tennis superstar Naomi Osaka and American gymnast Simone Biles.

Consider the mental health inquiry statistics:

• Mental health inquiry estimated "the annual cost of the burden of serious mental illness, including addiction, in New Zealand is an estimated $12 billion or 5% of gross domestic product."
• "The number of prescriptions for mental health–related medications increased 50% in the last 10 years and continues to grow about 5% each year."
• "The number of people accessing mental health and addiction services has grown 73% over the past 10 years."

https://mentalhealth.inquiry.govt.nz/inquiry-report/he-ara-oranga/chapter-1-the-inquiry/1-4-context/

A few years ago New Zealand Rugby Players Association connected past players pictured, and it was so encouraging of hearing of successful transitions into new careers and start-up businesses. In all these conversations, the success of change or leaping motivated me to excel and pursue challenging roles, learn new skills, and collaborate in a team environment.

Being adaptable, agile, nimble, responsive and flexible are some of the many advantages that sportspeople bring to the working environment post sports. Transferrable skills, for example, working in a team environment, creating trust with hard work and effective communication, and taking ownership of mistakes and failures, bring so much to business.

Big questions you can ask yourself when it is time to change careers are:

• Who do I trust to talk to about career change?
• What are my dreams and aspirations to help others?
• What are the next steps I need to take now?

We have celebrated the success of our New Zealand Olympians, and we await the Paralympians. For many of these athletes, it will be the last time they will wear the silver fern. It is challenging when we come to the crossroads of choosing the following challenges that excite us. Every four years, we await the Olympics, and for rugby athletes, it is the same. We train hard, set our goals and then once it is all played out and the lights go off, it is just you.

Over the last year, I have been writing a book on career change called TACKLE Success. Seven years of transitioning out from thirteen years of professional rugby and the lessons learnt.

TACKLE success is a 7 step by step process of what I went through and how to make it better for you. If there is one thing I can tell you, it is to take action and reach out and talk to people who have been through career transition. You are not alone.

Here are a few things you can do now.

If you would like the First Chapter of Tackle Success before its release, email me personally, and I will send it to you now.

filipo@filipolevi.com

If you want a free 30-minute consultation, click below what you can do now in a career change.

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 #motivation #sports #olympics2021 #careercoaching #innovation

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