Lessons For Life Transitions From Ken Griffey Jr.
Lessons For Life Transitions from Ken Griffey Jr.
Changes are never easy, whether they are welcome or unwelcome, anticipated or unanticipated, planned and unplanned. Life transitions almost always present challenges: challenges to our sense of self-worth, identity, stability, purpose, direction, being in control, and belonging.
This week baseball legend, Ken Griffey Jr., announced his retirement at age 40 – after beginning his career as a teenage phenomenon in 1987 and winning13 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves and 630 home runs, a record very few in the baseball Hall of Fame could match.
Ken Griffey, popularly known as Junior, has taught us a few lessons about life transitions by the way he handled his retirement.
1. Face reality squarely. In baseball years, 40 is considered old. After 23 years of games and some injuries, Griffey thought that his knee and his bat were far better than they were. But once he recognized the reality, he faced it head on.
2. Refuse to rest on yesterday’s glory. He is one of the most accomplished players in baseball history, but he did not insist on the unrealistic hope of repeating yesterday’s record.
3. Accept physical limitations. He understood how our bodies cannot always do everything we want them to do. Instead of denial, he chooses to accept those physical limitations and move onto a new phase of his life.
4. Consider others. Once he realized that he could not perform at the same level that he had previously, he did not want to be a distraction to his team, taking up a roster spot while not playing. He made a very sudden announcement of his retirement and did not want a big fanfare about this because he did not want his announcement to detract from the team’s focus on winning games now. Griffey demonstrated a great deal of maturity and team spirit by putting the welfare of the team ahead of his self-interests.
5. Keep smiling. He is known for his megawatt smile. He keeps smiling after he announced his retirement.
What are some life changes you facing? How are you handling these changes? What are some difficulties? What resources of principles are you drawing on to navigate these transitions? What might be some tips you can share with others?
I help people figure out what to do with their lives, discover their purpose and calling, identify their strengths, and more effectively navigate life – something called Life Coaching. Please visit me at www.theresaipfroehlich.com
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