Apollo Ohno:
Yes, for example, I wrote a book called “Hard Pivot” and in it there’s a chapter called “The Great Divorce.”
And imagine, everyone goes through major transitions, loss of identity, loss of loved ones or situations, financial difficulties, other hardships, and that big divorce that I’m talking about from experience was in the back of my mind.
To be honest, hundreds of people told me, “Apollo, think about what you want to do after sports.” But I had no idea what I wanted to do after sports. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I thought my purpose, my existence, my whole spirit on this earth was to put on a superhero costume and go speed skating.
I didn’t realize how ridiculous it made sense at the time, but that was the power of belief in that moment. But once you retire, whether forced or by choice, the guardrails are broken. And the athlete is swimming in uncharted waters. They don’t know who they are. They don’t know what skills they’ve acquired. They don’t have a professional coach.
And there are a lot of people who put off college or their studies instead of pursuing their dream of representing the U.S. in the Olympics. And like anything in life, it comes at a cost. So for me, there was no Plan B.
So for all the athletes who go to Paris, go to the Olympics, and then prepare to retire, nothing I say to them will resonate until all the lights go out, the calls from sponsors stop, the agents move on to the next great athlete, the next great story, and there’s that silence and solemn feeling left only for themselves.
But they must not forget that within it lies a source of untapped potential and opportunity that must be reactivated.
