Overcoming Challenges: Significance & Purpose

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“What a person does for pay is of little significance. What he is, as a sensitive instrument responsive to the world’s beauty, is everything!” – H.P. Lovecraft

Over the past few years in working with professional athletes, and business professionals across the country, we have uncovered some common challenges that most people will be confronted with in life.

The challenges range from: Lack of Significance and Purpose, Financial Loss, Anger & Bitterness, Substance Abuse, Time Management, Divorce, Physical Challenges, Isolation, Depression, and Denial.

Over the next few posts, I will attempt to share some practical keys to help you or someone you know navigate the issue they are challenged with.

The purpose is not to solve the challenge. But we do want to create a roadmap for the challenge to no longer keep you or anyone you know from accomplishing the dreams.

Loss of Significance and Purpose

Everyone has been confronted with the question, “What am I supposed to do with my life?”

This question can be even more challenging to a person who believes that they already found that they were supposed to do. This is especially true for athletes, and our military veterans.

Though there is no comparison to the types of sacrifices our soldiers make to what an athlete makes. The comparison of the struggle a person has when they are forced to transition from something you are good at is extremely difficult to say the least.

The thoughts of, “You were born to play football…now what?” “What else can I do that will be as fulfilling?” “I loved what I did, what else is there that could make me feel the way I felt?”

All of these thoughts can cause confusion, a lack of direction, anxiousness, and even depression.

First, let me say that I understand how you feel.

It took me a while to discover and uncover my other gifts beyond playing football. It was not an overnight process, and it would have been even more difficult without support around me to help push me out of my funk.

One of the truths that I uncovered is the fact that I was made to do more than just 1 thing well. Though I know I can play football well, doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things that I could be just as good, if not better at. I just hadn’t discovered them yet.

I also realized that my purpose is wrapped within my passion. Identifying what I am truly passionate about began to unlock dreams and skills that had been dormant within me.

If you are challenged with your purpose, or trying to help someone discover theirs…here are 7 Coaching Strategies to help create a sense of purpose:

  1. Ask what fulfills their need consciously or subconsciously?
  2. Get a new game plan – Explore a second career. There’s a big world out there. Go and play in it!
  3. Develop inspiring goals. Your goals should inspire to do one thing. Take a step towards the direction you desire.
  4. Overcome limitations of self-belief. I’ve heard it said that our biggest enemy is “inner me”. Overcoming negative self talk is essential to your success. Give yourself permission to be your own cheerleader!
  5. Revamp your support system. You will be successful because of the people around you. You can also fail because of the people around you. Make sure you have people around you who are willing to give you the support you need during this time of your life.
  6. Commit to learning new skills and gaining new knowledge. You didn’t become great at what you did in one day. You spent time to learn new skills to allow you to be a great soldier or player. Use the skills you applied to be great in one area of your life to be great in another area.
  7. Reinvent yourself

 

VISIT www.freddiescott.org to connect with Freddie and find out more about his work building leaders in the community and for speaking requests.

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