Some people thrive on unpredictability, others don’t, or at least they think they don’t. As athletes, we are told over and over “the more you practice the better you get” and somehow we fool ourselves to believe that unpredictability is out of the picture. Let’s say discipline is priority number one, let’s say no major injuries happen during your career, let’s say you make it to the major leagues. What’s next? What happens when your body simply starts to age? What happens when the one thing that has defined you for years is taken away from you?
It’s no secret that participation in sports plays a crucial role in developing leadership and team-building skills. What most athletes don’t foresee is the true need to nurture those business skills at a early stage in order to make the inevitable transition efficient and successful. Here’s where a business mentor plays a role. Identifying those with accomplished careers who hold an understanding of how success on the field can be translated into the business world.
Where to find them? Right here at our agency.
There are mentors willing to help, you just need to proactively ask. It may start with an internship or a book recommendation. Other times, an intense hands-on working relationship or an investment in your next business venture. Mentors like the ones found on our team at Sport Forward possess a firsthand understanding of how to transition into leadership roles effectively. In addition, we have trusted relationships who assist us in connecting athletes to internal and external global business networks.
Your sports chapter can serve as the foundation of an even bigger business venture. You may identify a solution to a problem or a need, or develop an improvement on a long-standing practice or product. Keep your eyes open and your mind attentive.
By helping athletes understand how they can translate their unique skills gained through sport into impactful positions outside of sport, mentors can light the way and help shape these inspiring men and women into influential future leaders. This is precisely what we do at Sport Forward. We want to transfer the same spirit of dedication and determination you successfully applied in athletic competitions to the next chapter in your successful career.
Sport Forward!