​​3 Mindset Shifts For People Moving To Business

Reaching the top of your game as a professional sportsperson requires hard work, dedication, persistence and mental strength. Bearing in mind these attributes then, it’s no great surprise that many former athletes make a successful career transition into the world of business upon retirement. 

In this post, we’ll look at the main attributes that allow former sportspeople in business to thrive and build illustrious empires. We’ll also discuss some of the nuanced mindset shifts required that help them get excel in their “ second act’, so to speak. 

Understanding Leadership Roles

Good leadership skills are essential whether you’re leading your sports team to a World Cup victory or motivating a group of businesspeople to meet an important deadline. Although the world of business may be unchartered territory for a former athlete, being a good business leader will require recognising the strengths of others and capitalising on these, the same way one would on the sports field.  

At the end of the day, you don’t need to have an MBA or years of experience in business to be a good leader. As in sport, a good business leader will understand his or her limitations and have the skills to motivate others to get things done. Furthermore, a great leader is not someone who is solely driven by glory or profit for themselves but for their team or company as a whole. 

Having A Positive Outlook on Healthy Competition

Professional sports like the business world is a highly competitive arena. Sport teaches people to adapt, develop skills and techniques to tackle the competition. It also teaches you to pick your battles carefully; For instance, a sportsperson cannot overexert themselves in minor matches and risk their performance on a more important stage. 

On a similar note, an entrepreneur starting in the business world needs to start by identifying their direction and capitalising on the best opportunities. Businesspeople, like athletes, also need to take advantage of their competitors by seeing interactions with them as a learning opportunity. For instance, in the business world, you’ll find that networking with those with more experience in a particular area can provide a great opportunity for mentorship. 

In terms of a mindset shift, sportspeople in business may need to take a step back and realise that competition is not always so cutthroat but may be a great networking opportunity. 

The Importance of Balance

Sporting careers are known for being short and intense. Since most professional sportspeople have retired by the age of 30, many athletes are stuck in this mindset that they need to put all their effort into the pursuit of success at their game. While it is this work ethic which accounts for the success of many sportspeople in business, it is important for those making this career transition to understand that careers in business tend to grow at a slower rate which is why balance is an important concept. 

Focusing solely on growing a business without paying enough attention to other areas of a person’s life can have dire consequences and lead to burnout. It is important to delegate and have a strong network around you. Due to the fact that a business career tends to require staying power, sportspeople in business need to learn the art of balancing their interests in a manageable way in the long term. 

To conclude, the career transition from sports to business is a natural progression for many former athletes because of the transferable skills that they acquire by reaching the top of their game. However, certain key mindset shifts are required for sportspeople in business to truly thrive. Still, they undoubtedly do have the skills and inherent ability to do so. 

If you’re a sportsperson and have any questions about life after sport or wish to apply to business those skills achieved in sport, send me an email to coh@hrworks.ie to book a free call!