“Who Am I Without the Game?” — The Identity Crisis Elite Athletes Face

“Who Am I Without the Game?”

For elite athletes, performance is more than a job. From an early age, training and competing become central to their identity. Self-worth is often tied to winning. Daily life is intense and highly structured — dictated by workouts, competitions, and the expectations of coaches and institutions.

Despite the demands of this lifestyle, it is rarely self-directed. Athletes become accustomed to being told what to do, instead of having room to make their own choices. With little time or energy for personal pursuits, many elite athletes have limited opportunities to explore other interests or develop a sense of self beyond the sport.

But what happens when the season ends? When an injury forces an unexpected break? When retirement arrives, and with it emerges a need to find a new direction? What is left when the performance stops - and no one is watching anymore?

This is where many athletes face a profound—and often unexpected—identity crisis. In psychological terms, elite athletes may experience a form of identity foreclosure, which refers to what can happen when a person commits to one role so early and so fully, that other aspects of their identity are never developed.

For elite athletes, this may happen by design.The transition out of sport often takes away the very things that provided structure, purpose,motivation and validation:

• The daily schedule

• The goals and feedback loops

• The external recognition

• The physical outlet for emotional regulation

Suddenly, there’s a lot of space to ponder the question: Who am I without this?

Research has found that retired athletes who were able to view themselves as “more than their sport” reported significantly less psychological distress during this transition (Haslam et al., 2024). Moreover, athletes who engage in structured transition support and cultivate multidimensional identities before retirement adapt better (Voorheis, Silber, & Consonni, 2023).

But for many, that multidimensional self was never given the chance to develop. Developing a sense of self beyond the sport is usually not a quick fix — it’s a psychological and emotional process that often begins with grief. It’s important to first acknowledge what has been lost: not just the competition or the titles, but the structure, relationships, and deep sense of meaning that came from being fully immersed in a singular pursuit.

This transition can be approached as a space for redefinition. Athletes can begin to ask:

• What parts of myself have been underdeveloped or unexplored?

• What do I feel drawn to — creatively, intellectually, relationally — now that I have more space

• What values do I want to carry forward, and which can I release?

Working with a psychologist or coach during this time can help uncover lost aspects of one’s identity, support the mourning of the old one, and guide the integration of a new, more expansive version of the self.

It’s not about abandoning your past or identity as an elite performer — it’s about evolving, and bringing your excellence forward into new arenas of life.

References:

Haslam, C., McAulay, C., Cooper, D., Mertens, N., Coffee, P., Hartley, C., Young, T., La Rue, C. J., Haslam, S. A., Steffens, N. K., Cruwys, T., Bentley, S. V., Mallett, C. J., McGregor, M., Williams, D., & Fransen, K. (2024). “I’m more than my sport”: Exploring the dynamic processes of identity change in athletic retirement. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 73, Article 102640.

Voorheis, P., Silver, M., & Consonni, J. (2023). Adaptation to life after sport for retired athletes: Ascoping review of existing reviews and programs. PLOS ONE, 18(9), e0291683.