The 3 Most Surprising Ways Elite Athletes Create a New Identity After Sport

Most of us won’t ever know what it’s like to be an Olympian or a major sports star. When the final whistle blows, the cheering fades, and the uniform is packed away for good.

Ever thought about what comes next?

As my podcast has unpacked many elite athletes, retirement isn’t just a career change… It’s an identity crisis. After years, sometimes decades, of being known solely for their sporting achievements, the question becomes: Who am I now?

What might surprise you is how many elite athletes don’t rush into their “next thing.” Instead, they take deliberate and often unconventional steps to rebuild who they are.

Here are three of the most surprising ways they create a new identity after sport.

In my view, as a business person, these are the top 3 valuable lessons we can all apply when facing challenges and our eras of reinvention.

1. They Let Go of the Label… On Purpose

It might sound counterintuitive, but many elite sportspeople deliberately distance themselves from the title of “athlete” after they retire.

This isn’t about denial. It’s about creating room for reinvention. Rather than clinging to medals and highlight reels, some athletes step away entirely. Maybe that is about avoiding public appearances, staying off social media, or trying new pursuits unrelated to sport.

Why? Their identity was wrapped around a single performance-based role for years. Letting go gives them the space to explore their worth outside of results.

💬 “I had to learn who I was without the gold medals,” said former American Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, reflecting on his post-retirement struggle.

Lesson: Sometimes, letting go of an old label is the first step to discovering who you are.

2. They Use Structure Not to Train, but to Heal

Elite athletes live and breathe routine: training schedules, meal plans, game-day rituals. In many ways, structure is part of their DNA for so long.

But after retirement, that same structure gets reimagined not for peak performance, but for healing and self-discovery.

Instead of 5 am gym sessions, it might be 8 am journaling.

Instead of tracking lap times, it could be monitoring mood, sleep, or progress in a new skill. That structure provides grounding at a time when everything else feels uncertain.

One former rugby player built a six-hour “transition routine” that included meditation, study, coaching, and community work, all to rebuild his sense of purpose.

Lesson: Routine isn’t just for discipline. Used mindfully, it becomes a tool for recovery and reinvention.

3. They Borrow Identity From Outside Sport

Here’s one of the boldest moves elite athletes make: they “borrow” identities from completely unrelated fields.

They try out roles like barista, artist, student, or mentor, not because it’s their forever path, but because stepping into a beginner mindset helps rebuild confidence.

Australian netballer-turned-AFLW player Sharni Norder (née Layton) is a great example. After excelling in two elite sports, she shifted focus to mental health advocacy. That became something deeply meaningful and grounded in lived experience.

By borrowing identities outside of sport, athletes gain fresh perspectives, skills, and connections. These borrowed identities often become stepping stones to something permanent.

Lesson: You don’t need to have it all figured out. Try things on. You might be surprised at what fits.

Reinvention Isn’t Just for Athletes

While this post focuses on elite sportspeople, these strategies apply far beyond the sporting world.

If you’re navigating a career change, recovering from burnout, or stepping into a new phase of life, maybe take a cue from the athletes who’ve been there:

• Let go of what no longer serves you
• Use routine as a tool for wellbeing
• Experiment with new roles and be open to growth

I love the idea that our sense of self or identity isn’t fixed ever; moreover, it’s an original story we all get to rewrite as much as we like..

🎧 Want to hear more?

Tune into my Season 2 of Life After the Whistle from 6 August via that link and wherever you get your podcasts to explore a new season of eight amazing superstars and leaders, who discuss sporting success, their roles and identity, the legacies they make and their views of reinvention.