Bench Warmers Anonymous: How to Get Back in the Game

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 toni@tonithrash.com 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:
Book your discovery call


You can find me at:

Book: Start Your Comeback

Workbook: The Game Plan

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Shock
Limbo
Re-Entry


...

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:00

Is there a major life transition benching you ? I know you may be asking what's next ? What's my purpose ? What if ? Because I've asked those too .

Speaker 1 0:12

Welcome to the Start your Comeback podcast . I'm Toni Thrash , a certified life coach , and I want to share the tools and practical steps to help you create a winning game plan to move into your new adventure .

Welcome to Start Your Comeback

Speaker 1 0:56

Hi , welcome back . You're listening to episode 77 . I have a question for you . Are you feeling stuck , like maybe you're watching life from the sidelines ? Do you know where you're headed or are you drifting ? Do you have a plan ? I think I have more than just one question for you this week .

Speaker 1 1:18

I want to talk about building a game plan for your life , especially after a major transition . Now you might be thinking a game plan that's for sports , not life . Well , as a former coach , I can tell you the principles are the same . In sports , you prepare for each game with a strategy or a plan of action . You analyze your opponent's strengths and weaknesses weaknesses and you map out how you're going to capitalize on that knowledge . And , just like coaching athletes

Are You Stuck on the Sidelines?

Speaker 1 1:52

, live coaching is about helping you perform at your best , pushing you to persevere and aiming for that W or that win , whatever that looks like for you . We all face surprises , some beneficial , some detrimental . I call these life transitions , and they come in three distinct stages . The beauty of a game plan is its flexibility . It's not written in concrete , set in stone . It's a living document that you adjust , tweak or , if needed , even completely change as the situation evolves . Think of it as a guideline , written in pencil , not sharpie , because life throws us curveballs . When I was in a huddle with my whiteboard and expo marker , I could change the direction of the game with a new plan and if that didn't work , one swipe of my hand erased it and I adjusted . So what exactly is a game plan in this context ? It's a strategic roadmap for your next chapter . It's about defining your goals , outlining your steps and creating a framework for success .

Speaker 1 3:08

Let me share an example . I'm working with a client who has sold her business as entering retirement . She wanted to stay active and engaged , but she wasn't sure how . We started with a two-hour discovery meeting where I

What Is a Life Game Plan?

Speaker 1 3:26

asked detailed questions about her vision for retirement , her desires and her concerns . She had a list of to-dos but no clear timeline . After our meeting , I created a live script for her . This is a tool I use to visualize my client's future goals and aspirations . It's a powerful way to bring clarity and direction . When I shared it with her , she was deeply moved . It confirmed what brings her alive . We then narrowed down her list , prioritized her goals and created a timeline .

Client Success Story: Retirement Reimagined

Speaker 1 4:04

This became her personalized game plan .

Speaker 1 4:07

The key is that it's flexible . Life happens and plans need to adapt . She decided to start a new company , build a website and create a new logo . She wanted to work three to four days a week and we mapped out a plan to make that happen . She's now exceeding her goals because she has clarity , direction and a willingness to adapt . And not only that in the middle of all this process , she determined there were some of those things that we had nailed down that she didn't really want to do , so we took them out .

Speaker 1 4:44

I'm going to give you 10 specific steps to create your game plan . Some people struggle with knowing what the thing that brings them alive is . Some are very clear . Give yourself grace . If you are struggling with the thing that brings you to life , all right , here we go .

Speaker 1 5:04

Number one acknowledge your transition , recognize and accept that you're in a period of change . Don't try to rush through it . If you're in shock , then I would recommend the Sound of you Journal PDF that I created for this time in life's transitions . You can find the link in the show notes . Number two define your vision . What do you want your life to look like in the next six months , one year , five years ? Be specific . If you have lost a loved one , then this step will

10 Steps to Create Your Game Plan

Speaker 1 5:39

start after you grieve for at least a year . We don't want to make decisions while we are in shock and very emotional . Let's get you through this year with a purpose and clear thinking .

Speaker 1 5:51

Number three identify your values . What's truly important to you ? What principles will guide your decisions ? Number four set realistic goals . Break down your vision into smaller achievable goals . Number five create a timeline . Map out your goals and set deadlines . Be flexible , but have a structure . I recommend a 90-day breakdown of steps . Number six identify your resources . What skills , knowledge and support do you have ? Who can help you ? Who are your connections ? And then ask yourself what skills do you need ? Number seven develop an action plan . Outline the specific steps you need to take to achieve each goal . Sometimes those steps are tiny , and that's okay , as long as we're moving in the direction you want to go . Sometimes those steps are big . It just depends on who you are and what those end goals are .

Speaker 1 7:05

Number eight anticipate the obstacles . What challenges might you face ? How will you overcome them ? I want you to think back over a period of time when you set a goal and then something popped up in your life that prohibited you from reaching that goal . What was it and how did you deal with it ? How could you learn to deal with it differently this time if the same kind of thing popped up ?

Speaker 1 7:33

Number nine make sure that you build a support system , surround yourself with positive , supportive people . And number 10 , regularly review and adjust . Your game plan is a living document . Review it regularly and make adjustments as needed . That can be as daily , it could be monthly or quarterly , or maybe you're 90 days in and your overall goal for the year changes . We just start over . It's a living framework . Remember this is your game plan . It's about taking control of your life and moving forward with purpose . It's about getting off of the bench and back into the game with purpose . It's about getting off of the bench and back into the game . Maybe the bench that you're on you've put yourself there , or maybe someone else has put you there and has just forgotten about you and walked away . But here you are . You're ready to get off that bench and you're ready to engage .

Speaker 1 8:41

My challenge for you this week is to take the first step . Now you have to identify what that first step is . Here's what I would encourage you to do . I would love for you to send me an email at tonythrashcom . I want you to tell me in that email what your big , audacious goal is for 2025 . Because you know what ? It's still not

Getting Off the Bench

Speaker 1 9:06

too late to get started on that goal . Let's work together to create a game plan that will help you achieve your goals and live a fulfilling life . Thank you for listening and remember you have the power to create the life you want . Let's get off that bench and let's get going . Thanks for being here today .

Speaker 1 9:27

The next three weeks , I'm going to go back and give an overview of the three phases of a major life transition . If you're a new listener and are in a major transition , you will want to be there . I will talk about shock , limbo and transition . You won't want to miss it . I'll see you next time . Hey , thanks for listening . I don't take it for granted that you're here . You didn't listen by mistake . If you want to reach out . You can DM me on Instagram at Tony Thrash . Until next week . Remember , there's still time left on the clock . Let's get you off the bench to start your comeback . I want to give a special shout out to Country Club for the original music . You can find them on Instagram at Country Club .

Challenge and Coming Episodes

Speaker 1 10:43

Free audio post- . Production .