Bench Warmers Anonymous: How to Get Back in the Game

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Building a strategic game plan for life after major transitions gives you the clarity and direction needed to move forward with purpose. Drawing from sports coaching principles, I share how creating a flexible roadmap can help you get off the bench and back into the game of life.

• Major life transitions require a strategic approach similar to sports game plans
• A good life plan should be flexible and adaptable—written in pencil, not permanent marker
• The three stages of life transitions each require different strategic approaches
• Client success story: helping a new retiree create purpose and direction beyond a simple to-do list
• Ten specific steps to create your personal game plan including acknowledging your transition and defining your vision
• Identifying your core values provides a foundation for decision-making during uncertain times
• Breaking goals into 90-day action periods creates momentum while maintaining flexibility
• Anticipating obstacles requires reflecting on past challenges and preparing new responses
• Regular review and adjustment keeps your game plan relevant as circumstances change

Email me at [e-mail] with your big, audacious goal for 2025. Join me for the next three weeks as I cover the three phases of major life transitions: shock, limbo, and transition.

Let's create your transition gameplan:
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Shock
Limbo
Re-Entry


Sound of You

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Is there a major life transition benching you?
I know you may be asking what'snext?
What's my purpose?
What if?
Because I've asked those too.
Welcome to the Start yourComeback podcast.
I'm Toni Thrash, a certifiedlife coach, and I want to share
the tools and practical steps tohelp you create a winning game

(00:23):
plan to move into your newadventure.
Hi, welcome back.

(00:57):
You're listening to episode 77.
I have a question for you.
Are you feeling stuck, likemaybe you're watching life from
the sidelines?
Do you know where you're headedor are you drifting?
Do you have a plan?
I think I have more than justone question for you this week.

(01:18):
I want to talk about building agame plan for your life,
especially after a majortransition.
Now you might be thinking agame plan that's for sports, not
life.
Well, as a former coach, I cantell you the principles are the
same.
In sports, you prepare for eachgame with a strategy or a plan

(01:41):
of action.
You analyze your opponent'sstrengths and weaknesses
weaknesses and you map out howyou're going to capitalize on
that knowledge.
And, just like coachingathletes, live coaching is about
helping you perform at yourbest, pushing you to persevere
and aiming for that W or thatwin, whatever that looks like

(02:02):
for you.
We all face surprises, somebeneficial, some detrimental.
I call these life transitions,and they come in three distinct
stages.
The beauty of a game plan isits flexibility.
It's not written in concrete,set in stone.
It's a living document that youadjust, tweak or, if needed,

(02:27):
even completely change as thesituation evolves.
Think of it as a guideline,written in pencil, not sharpie,
because life throws uscurveballs.
When I was in a huddle with mywhiteboard and expo marker, I
could change the direction ofthe game with a new plan and if
that didn't work, one swipe ofmy hand erased it and I adjusted

(02:51):
.
So what exactly is a game planin this context?
It's a strategic roadmap foryour next chapter.
It's about defining your goals,outlining your steps and
creating a framework for success.
Let me share an example.
I'm working with a client whohas sold her business as

(03:14):
entering retirement.
She wanted to stay active andengaged, but she wasn't sure how
.
We started with a two-hourdiscovery meeting where I asked
detailed questions about hervision for retirement, her
desires and her concerns.
She had a list of to-dos but noclear timeline.

(03:36):
After our meeting, I created alive script for her.
This is a tool I use tovisualize my client's future
goals and aspirations.
It's a powerful way to bringclarity and direction.
When I shared it with her, shewas deeply moved.
It confirmed what brings heralive.

(03:56):
We then narrowed down her list,prioritized her goals and
created a timeline.
This became her personalizedgame plan.
The key is that it's flexible.
Life happens and plans need toadapt.
She decided to start a newcompany, build a website and
create a new logo.

(04:17):
She wanted to work three tofour days a week and we mapped
out a plan to make that happen.
She's now exceeding her goalsbecause she has clarity,
direction and a willingness toadapt.
And not only that in the middleof all this process, she
determined there were some ofthose things that we had nailed

(04:39):
down that she didn't really wantto do, so we took them out.
I'm going to give you 10specific steps to create your
game plan.
Some people struggle withknowing what the thing that
brings them alive is.
Some are very clear.
Give yourself grace.
If you are struggling with thething that brings you to life,

(05:03):
all right, here we go.
Number one acknowledge yourtransition, recognize and accept
that you're in a period ofchange.
Don't try to rush through it.
If you're in shock, then Iwould recommend the Sound of you
Journal PDF that I created forthis time in life's transitions.
You can find the link in theshow notes.

(05:24):
Number two define your vision.
What do you want your life tolook like in the next six months
, one year, five years?
Be specific.
If you have lost a loved one,then this step will start after
you grieve for at least a year.
We don't want to make decisionswhile we are in shock and very

(05:45):
emotional.
Let's get you through this yearwith a purpose and clear
thinking.
Number three identify yourvalues.
What's truly important to you?
What principles will guide yourdecisions?
Number four set realistic goals.
Break down your vision intosmaller achievable goals.

(06:08):
Number five create a timeline.
Map out your goals and setdeadlines.
Be flexible, but have astructure.
I recommend a 90-day breakdownof steps.
Number six identify yourresources.
What skills, knowledge andsupport do you have?

(06:37):
Who can help you?
Who are your connections?
And then ask yourself whatskills do you need?
Number seven develop an actionplan.
Outline the specific steps youneed to take to achieve each
goal.
Sometimes those steps are tiny,and that's okay, as long as
we're moving in the directionyou want to go.
Sometimes those steps are big.

(06:58):
It just depends on who you areand what those end goals are.
Number eight anticipate theobstacles.
What challenges might you face?
How will you overcome them?
I want you to think back over aperiod of time when you set a
goal and then something poppedup in your life that prohibited

(07:21):
you from reaching that goal.
What was it and how did youdeal with it?
How could you learn to dealwith it differently this time if
the same kind of thing poppedup?
Number nine make sure that youbuild a support system, surround
yourself with positive,supportive people.
And number 10, regularly reviewand adjust.

(07:46):
Your game plan is a livingdocument.
Review it regularly and makeadjustments as needed.
That can be as daily, it couldbe monthly or quarterly, or
maybe you're 90 days in and youroverall goal for the year
changes.
We just start over.

(08:06):
It's a living framework.
Remember this is your game plan.
It's about taking control ofyour life and moving forward
with purpose.
It's about getting off of thebench and back into the game
with purpose.
It's about getting off of thebench and back into the game.

(08:27):
Maybe the bench that you're onyou've put yourself there, or
maybe someone else has put youthere and has just forgotten
about you and walked away.
But here you are.
You're ready to get off thatbench and you're ready to engage
.
My challenge for you this weekis to take the first step.
Now you have to identify whatthat first step is.

(08:49):
Here's what I would encourageyou to do.
I would love for you to send mean email at tonythrashcom.
I want you to tell me in thatemail what your big, audacious
goal is for 2025.
Because you know what?
It's still not too late to getstarted on that goal.
Let's work together to create agame plan that will help you

(09:13):
achieve your goals and live afulfilling life.
Thank you for listening andremember you have the power to
create the life you want.
Let's get off that bench andlet's get going.
Thanks for being here today.
The next three weeks, I'm goingto go back and give an overview
of the three phases of a majorlife transition.

(09:34):
If you're a new listener andare in a major transition, you
will want to be there.
I will talk about shock, limboand transition.
You won't want to miss it.
I'll see you next time.
Hey, thanks for listening.
I don't take it for grantedthat you're here.
You didn't listen by mistake.

(09:55):
If you want to reach out.
You can DM me on Instagram atTony Thrash.
Until next week.
Remember, there's still timeleft on the clock.
Let's get you off the bench tostart your comeback.
I want to give a special shoutout to Country Club for the
original music.
You can find them on Instagramat Country Club.

(10:17):
Free audio post-.

(10:44):
Production.