Living on Your Terms: How to Take Back Ownership of Your Coaching Career

Are You Leading Your Career—Or Is It Leading You?

High-performance sport demands commitment, sacrifice, and relentless effort. You put in the hours, chase the next milestone, and keep proving your worth. But at some point, many coaches wake up and realize:

✔️ They’re exhausted from giving everything to a system that gives little back.
✔️ They’re playing by someone else’s rules without questioning if those rules work for them.
✔️ They’ve spent years chasing an idea of success that no longer fits who they are.

So the question is: Are you in control of your career, or are you just surviving it?

Why Coaches Get Stuck in a System That Controls Them

Most coaches don’t intentionally choose a career path that leads to burnout. It happens gradually, without them realizing.

This looks like:
⚠️ Saying yes to every opportunity out of fear of missing out.
⚠️ Prioritizing status, job titles, and promotions over real fulfillment.
⚠️ Staying in a job that drains you because you’ve convinced yourself this is just how it is.
⚠️ Pushing through exhaustion instead of questioning if there’s a better way to work.

🚨 If you’re not making intentional choices about your career, someone else is making them for you.

How to Take Back Ownership of Your Coaching Career

Taking ownership isn’t about walking away—it’s about building a career on your terms. Here’s where to start:

1️⃣ Get Clear on What You Actually Want

Most coaches assume they already know—until they realize they’ve been chasing external validation rather than true fulfilment.

🔹 Ask yourself:
✔️ If I wasn’t worried about status, money, or opinions, what would I choose?
✔️ If I could design my ideal workweek, what would it look like?
✔️ What moments in my career have truly energized me—and when have I felt drained?

🔍 Key takeaway: Clarity is power. Without it, you’ll always be chasing more without knowing why.

2️⃣ Audit What You’re Saying "Yes" To By Default

Every time you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else.

📌 Take a look at your week:
✔️ What’s taking up most of your time and energy?
✔️ Which commitments are actually moving you toward the career you want?
✔️ Where are you saying yes out of obligation rather than desire?

🔍 Key takeaway: Eliminating unnecessary commitments creates space for opportunities that truly align with your goals.

3️⃣ Shift from "What’s Next?" to "What’s Right?"

In high-performance sport, the culture pushes you to always think about the next step. But before you chase the next opportunity, ask:

✔️ Do I actually want this—or do I just feel like I should want it?
✔️ Does this align with my values?
✔️ Will this bring me energy, growth, and fulfillment—or just more pressure?

🔍 Key takeaway: Sometimes, the right move isn’t up—it’s over, out, or deeper into something else.

4️⃣ Create Your Own Non-Negotiables

The best coaches don’t just have goals—they have non-negotiables that protect their energy and well-being.

✔️ Define yours:
🔹 What are three things I will no longer tolerate in my career?
🔹 What are three things I will prioritize—no matter what?
🔹 What would I need to change today to align with these?

🔍 Key takeaway: Setting boundaries isn’t about control—it’s about sustainability.

This Is Your Career—Start Acting Like It

Taking ownership isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter.

Coaches who shift from survival mode to strategic ownership experience:
✅ More energy and confidence.
✅ A career that’s fulfilling, not just impressive on paper.
✅ Decisions based on alignment, not obligation.

📌 The Ownership Rule:
📍 Week 1-2: Identify what’s draining you.
📍 Week 3-4: Define your non-negotiables.
📍 Week 5-12: Align your decisions with what actually matters.

Want to Hear How Someone Else Took Ownership?

If you’re looking for real-world examples, listen to S1E08: Intention, Trust, and Ownership in the Chapters of a Career in Sport with Ben Youngs.

🎧 Listen here: CLICK TO LISTEN

Your Next Step?

💡 What’s one decision you can make this week to take back ownership of your career?

📩 If this resonated, forward it to a coach who needs to hear it.