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It’s much better for people to ask why you aren’t on the field than why you’re still on it. (Morné du Plessis)

Whether in sport or business we will all face having to cope with the inevitable – when the time comes to move onto the next chapter.

I refer specifically to career, job or sporting retirement. Why can this ‘transitioning’ be so challenging for high achievers in sport and in the workplace? While you could debate many reasons for the dilemma, I list three (identity, choice, what next) based on personal experience, and from what I have observed while helping individuals and teams. (to get better at what they choose to change, and to get better for life)

• Identity. It’s the main reason why most top achievers struggle to let go. How much of your identity (and ego) is defined by your ‘success’ and enshrined by your title or rank? Success can be intoxicating, numb the senses, and make transitioning more difficult should your identity be based on what you have done (together with the recognition that it brings), rather than who you are. I believe Novak Djokovic is discovering this during his twilight years as a professional.
• Choice. It’s more palatable when the decision to transition is of our own making. The perfect time to ‘let go’ is seldom straight forward, especially when you realise that others may be thinking that you are not as good as you think you still believe you are. Having the choice to decide won’t appease the emotions, but it’s preferable to the alternative.
• What next? As much as one knows the day will arrive, how well prepared are you, especially the mental shift for what lies ahead?

Do you love the job/sport more for what it is, or do you love it for what it can give you? Take Roger Federer – his tennis prowess appeared to be driven by a consummate love in respecting the game’s history, its traditions and the greats upon whose shoulders he stood. This didn’t make his retirement decisions any easier, his intrinsicity did.

I am the author of Leading Self and Others (how to make a difference where you are with what you’ve got) and Teaming with ideas (life lessons in teams- from business, sport and parkrun). You can contact me here.