invest in other career paths . Which brings me to my next point .
Athletes who retire early may struggle to find a new passion or career that provides the same sense of fulfillment and purpose as their athletic goals .
Moreover , transitioning from an athlete lifestyle to a non-athlete lifestyle can be very challenging as many athletes may find it difficult to adapt to a different schedule … to a non-athletic routine .
Consider this .
Athletes are competitive . They thrive on competition and the drive to improve . But when they retire , athletes can feel lost outside of the structured environment of their sport and may struggle finding a suitable outlet for their competitive drive .
Another important consideration is that athletes often have a strong support network throughout their competitive career , i . e . with their teammates , coaches , trainers and other support staff . But when they retire , they lose this network in whole or even in part , which can create feelings of isolation and loneliness for many athletes . This is further compounded by the non athletes around them , as they are unable to comprehend and appreciate the impact retirement can have on an athlete .
So it ’ s not surprising that with these dark places , many athletes do NOT cope well … leading to unhealthy coping mechanisms , i . e . substance abuse .
Now the factors I just outlined are exactly the pitfalls I want athletes to avoid by being proactive .
In other words , plan now !
Retirement isn ’ t like putting a cow out to pasture but rather taking the cow to another field . I have some suggestions on how athletes can do just that so yes athletes I ’ m talking to you . When you retire , forced or not , this is for you .
And these are in no particular order but jot down some of these suggestions , or at least save this article for future reference .
1 ) To have a successful transition from being an athlete to being a retired athlete involves planning well in advance of retirement .
Retirement can be a chance to pursue new interests , education or training programs , hobbies , or career paths that you may not have had time for during your athletic career .
For example , enroll in educational programs or courses to acquire new skills , certifications , or degrees that can facilitate career opportunities for you outside of your sport .