Hello Reader, hope your day is amazing so far!
Have you ever finish a Netflix series that you’ve been binging for days, maybe even weeks? You ride the high of the final scene, the music swells, and then the credits roll. Maybe there’s a twist ending, maybe it’s the perfect bow… but then, that familiar black screen pops up with a little box asking:
“Watch something similar?”
And just like that, you’re tossed out of the world you were immersed in and staring at a scroll of options you’re not emotionally ready to commit to. That weird emptiness sets in. Not because it was bad, but because it ended.
You spent so long in that story, you didn’t really prepare for what came after.
And it got me thinking...
We talk a lot about chasing goals. We obsess over game day, test day, tryouts, and championships. We brace ourselves for big wins and hard losses. But we don’t often talk about the space after those moments. That quiet pause where everything slows down and one question lingers:
“So now what?”
That’s the part that defines us more than the outcome.
Win a gold medal? So now what?
Didn’t make the team? So now what?
Got that starting spot? So now what?
Broke your personal record? So now what?
Whether it's joy, disappointment, pride, or heartbreak, the moment after matters just as much. Maybe even more. Because it’s in that space where identity gets formed. Where plans shift. Where growth either begins or gets stuck.
And here’s the twist: most of us are completely unprepared for that space.
We live in a world that’s obsessed with outcomes. But mental performance? It lives in the transitions. The reset. The “what’s next?” That’s where clarity and resilience show up. Or they don’t.
Coaches, we love to prep our athletes for the big stage, but how often are we prepping them for what happens when the lights go out? Not just the game plan, but the identity plan. Are we helping them process what it means to succeed and then re-anchor? Are we showing them how to bounce back from failure without spiraling?
Parents, we hold our breath through games and wait in parking lots for updates. But the ride home is sacred. That’s the moment to help your athlete understand that this one moment isn’t the moment. And that whether it’s a victory lap or a tearful silence, the next step matters more than either.
And for the athletes reading this: no matter how good or bad today feels, I promise you, there will always be a “So now what?”
And that’s where you build your edge.
Take the time to feel what you're feeling. Celebrate the wins. Grieve the losses. But then… do something with it. Journal it. Reflect on it. Use it. Or maybe even just sit with it for a moment before rushing to the next thing. Because clarity doesn’t always come fast. But it always comes if you create space for it.
And if you’re unsure what that space should look like, maybe it’s time to build one.
Not everything needs to be a hard pivot. Sometimes the next chapter starts by closing the tab, stretching a little, and saying, “I’m not ready to start something new just yet, but I’m listening for what’s next.”
So, let me ask you:
What do you do after the final whistle, the posted results, or the highlight moment?
How you answer that may matter more than whether you won or lost.
A few years ago, I had this late-night craving for one of those frozen burritos...the kind you know will never live up to the picture on the box, but you microwave it anyway because it’s 1:13 a.m. and hope is stronger than common sense.
I threw it in, waited the obligatory two minutes, took that first bite… and immediately burned the roof of my mouth. It was molten. I could have soldered pipes with it. Then came the letdown: a frozen center. I had prepared for this snack, but I didn’t prepare for what came after the beep. Too hot, too cold, and somehow completely disappointing despite achieving exactly what I set out to do...cook a burrito.
That’s what So now what? moments feel like sometimes. We think the outcome will bring resolution, but really, it’s just the beginning of whatever comes next. So here's your challenge:
Whether you're holding a win, licking a wound, or nuking a metaphorical burrito, stop and give yourself a moment. Reflect before reacting. Step back before stepping forward.
Then ask yourself honestly:
“So now what?”
And whatever the answer is… take that step.