I recently watched the Netflix documentary “Simone Biles Rising” while on a flight from Seattle to New York City. Her story about overcoming self-doubt (and the doubters) to stage a successful comeback in the 2024 Olympics was truly inspirational and firmly establishes her as the GOAT in gymnastics. But what I found interesting in the documentary is that it also explores how she’s learning to prioritize other aspects of her life and prepare for what’s next after winning 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals (!). What does a woman do who’s already accomplished her dreams?
That got me thinking about what happens to all the professional athletes, dancers, or anyone who pursues an extremely physical calling for a living as they “age out” of their professions. Despite our mastery, artistry, and the years we’ve dedicated to pursuing our passions, our bodies simply can’t perform the way they used to. This is what happened to me at the end of my career as a professional modern dancer, when I—like Simone—retired at the ripe old age of 27. Today, many athletes are able to extend their careers well beyond that. But it’s difficult to sustain such a high level of performance and motivation, day-in and day-out.
In addition to having to figure out what was next for me, I also struggled with questions about my identity, self-worth, and whether I would find anything else I loved to do as much as dance. Who was I if I wasn’t a dancer? Would others value my artistic background in another field of work? What else was I interested in? Fortunately, I had started my dance career after getting my undergraduate degree at Princeton, unlike so many other dancers who forgo college to pursue a professional track immediately after high school. That enabled me to go back to school to get my MBA, a classic path for people making career changes.
However, it still wasn’t easy landing my first job in the corporate world. Many recruiters didn’t see how dance translated to business, when there were so many other candidates with more relevant business backgrounds. I got many rejections before finally receiving an offer for a marketing role at Johnson & Johnson, which valued the capabilities I brought to the table—the discipline, work ethic, creativity, and ability to learn—and they were willing to invest in my potential. I was able to reinvent myself many times during my business career, leveraging the things I had learned as a dancer.
In Episode 1 of The Leadership Dance podcast, I talk about my journey from dance to business to boards and share 3 key strategies for successful career transitions.
Embrace what makes you different
Keep moving
Choreograph your own success
I hope you’ll take a listen and let me know your thoughts. And I just found out that Simone will be joining The Voice as a playoff advisor this season, so let’s all root for her as she embarks on choreographing her next chapter.
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