Advice for a Professional Athlete

Dear professional athlete or just retired professional athlete:

A few things to consider:

– Your career will fly by quicker than you could ever have imagined, so grab and maximize every opportunity you get.
– You will encounter many temptations and false prophets along your journey.
– Even though you worked your butt off and deserved your success, just remember that there are others that weren’t as privileged as you and given the opportunity.
– You will be given special treatment, appreciate it, don’t think it’s ’normal’ or expected.
– Never forget your biggest and most loyal fans were the ones who couldn’t afford the front row seats or fancy dinner functions.
– Remember that there are kids that idolize and one day want to be like you.
– Remember that the volunteers, drivers and people at tournaments who gave up their free holidays, skipped workdays and weekends, did it simply for the love of the sport.
– Remember that real struggle and toughness isn’t found in a match or event, but in real life – a single mother working a minimum wage, a child cancer patient etc..
– If you go into coaching, you will realize that it is more than just feeding balls and booking courts, it’s a learnt skill.
– You will best remember and respect those coaches or people who told you the truth, even if it hurt.
– You will miss your opponents more than you think.

So with that in mind…

– Find people that care enough to call or text you when you’ve lost or are finding times tough.
– Find people who are not interested in the best table at the restaurant or VIP parking.
– Find people that are willing to tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
– Find people who treat those who can’t do anything in return with respect and love.
– Find people you are not ‘yes’ people, but have their own opinions.
– Find people who don’t care for the all the bling and fancy cars.
– Find people who support you, encourage you and build you.
– Find people of integrity, good values and respect.
– Find people who will better you as a person and not just as an athlete.
– Find people who say ‘thank you’ and ‘please’.
– Find people who don’t care for the trophies, medals and accolades, but care for people and simple things.
– Find people, that when after your career, see you for you, and not for what you once were.

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