Turning Pro

I love working with all my clients but I particularly like working with clients who were great in college, turned pro immediately after college and pretty quickly realized that those two worlds are completely different! Make no mistake, they are completely different!

To a certain degree when you are a college athlete everything is so great. You have a support network: coach, teammates and parents and there’s really not a lot to worry about except for playing your sport. For a lot of great athletes they have a natural ability that alongside all of the support takes them a very long way. I’ve worked with many #1 ranked athletes so I know this is the case. Sure there’s pressure but it’s the kind of pressure that can really motivate a great athlete to perform well.

When these athletes go immediately pro after college (which they should because they are good athletes) they don’t really think about it but subconsciously they think it’s going to be like it was in college. Quickly they realize that’s not the case. Not only does their support system dramatically change but now they have to hire (and pay) a support system. They have to figure out how to move through the professional system. They have to travel a lot and many by themselves. The biggest obstacle is that the pressure dramatically increases because the level of play is much higher and harder and they now have to earn their living via their sport. Everything changes but because these athletes don’t realize it, it happens and it effects their game. Yikes!

The biggest lesson for those of you in this position is this: understand that college and going pro are completely different and prepare for that. Part of that preparation is having a mental game plan. If you prepare beforehand their is less mental destruction.

Happy Saturday!

Dr. Michelle

Photo credit: www.flickr.com

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