After another year of “Will he or won’t he?” Tom Brady has declared he will in fact retire from the NFL. I’ve been following this story closely and not just because I’m a football fan. I also offer retirement transition coaching to my clients, and the reluctance that Tom showed regarding retirement is very common among professionals who are considering stepping away from their successful careers.
But one way that Tom (and you) can be successful is by reframing the conversation. Instead of saying “Tom is retiring,” we should be saying that he is TRANSITIONING. He’s leaving behind his days of actively playing football and will transition to his next gig as a TV analyst for Fox Sports.
For all of us – whether we’re a star football player or a senior director in a corporation – life is all about transitions. One thing ends and the next thing is around the corner. We move, change jobs, marry, divorce, have kids, illnesses, etc. The transitions never end.
Here’s my advice to Tom to successfully navigate his transition – and it’s advice that you can follow as well as you start thinking about retirement.
He should identify where he got the following needs met on the football field, and then identify how he will get these needs met in his next phase. These are concepts that come from Positive Psychology:
- Positive emotions – make us feel vibrant and alive
- Engagement – feeling “in the flow” or “zone”
- Relationships – provide connection and support
- Meaning – connecting to a greater purpose
- Accomplishment – sense of satisfaction or achievement
If we are going to flourish in retirement, we can use these aspects of Positive Psychology to find replacements for the things that add value to our lives when we are at work.
I hope that Tom successfully navigates his big transition. You might also find yourself on the cusp of a transition and wonder how you’ll move through it. If so, applying these concepts can be helpful.
If you want additional help sorting through your identify, purpose, and finding meaning in your own transition to retirement, please reach out to see how we can work together.