In an Era of Rising Prices and Income Anxiety, How Can Athletes Develop Their 'Earning Power'?
Hello.
I am Ma-, and I support athletes with their dual careers and post-retirement career paths.
Recently, there has been a continuous stream of news regarding rising prices and real wages.
'Will my current income really be enough in the future?'
That sentiment is spreading across all of Japan.
This is not just a topic for corporate employees.
It is a theme that is also relevant to all athletes, including professionals, corporate team members, and top-tier students.
You are focused on your sport.
You are currently achieving results.
Even so, a question arises in a fleeting moment.
'What will my work life be like after I retire?'
This feeling is not a sign of weakness.
It is a sign that your consciousness has begun to shift from a 'future that is protected' to a 'future that you design'.
Today, I would like to write about my thoughts on how athletes can develop their 'earning power' in this 'era of income anxiety'.
1. 'Earning Power' Is Not About Annual Income
When people hear 'earning power,' many think of
'ways to increase income' such as side jobs, entrepreneurship, or investments.
However, that is not the essence of it.
True earning power is:
The ability to provide value even when the environment changes
The ability to maintain a role without depending on a single company
The ability to connect your experience to society
In other words,'the design ability to continuously create value'.is what it is.
What is truly anxiety-inducing in an era of rising prices
is not money itself,
but the lack of conviction that 'I am capable'.
And that,
if articulated correctly, can certainly be cultivated.
2. The Turning Point for Athletes Who Have Overcome Income Anxiety
A former athlete I worked with once said this:
'I thought it would be the end if I lost my sponsors.'
However, when we delved deeper into his athletic experience, he was a coordinator for the team,
possessed the ability to rebuild in the face of adversity, and was naturally involved in developing younger players.
It seems they realized this, organized it, and put it into words.
Then, a change occurred in their 'sense'.
'Retirement is no longer as scary as it used to be.'
This is a story about
gaining the realization that 'I can create value'.
This is the core of an athlete's second career.
3. Athletes already possess the 'seeds of earning'
What you possess is not a special qualification.
Competitive instinct → Decision-making ability
Perseverance → Reliability
Corrective ability → Improvement ability
Role fulfillment → Organizational contribution ability
Experience with adversity → Reproducible ability to recover
What society is looking for is
not flashy achievements, but 'reproducible skills'.
The essence of an athlete's dual career is
not preparing to quit sports, but
preparing to translate athletic experience.
What is lacking is not ability.
It is only the connection to the market.
4. Three ways to start developing your 'earning power' today
You don't need to change things drastically.
① Translate athletic experience into 'market language'
Write about your role, not your achievements.
Write about your judgment, not wins and losses.
Write about your ingenuity, not just the results.
This is the first step toward a dual career.
② Try providing value on a small scale
There is no need to suddenly start a side business or launch a startup.
・Small speaking engagements
・Workshops
・Involvement in local events
Small 'experiments' are enough.
Earning power can only be developed through action.
3. Do not plan alone
An athlete's second career
is not something to pursue in isolation.
Utilizing second-career support is not a sign of weakness, but a strategy.
Even in competition, there are no matches you can win entirely on your own.
The same applies to your career.
5. The era of rising prices is actually a tailwind
What society is looking for is:
People who can manage themselves
People who can persevere
People who can adapt to change
These are standard equipment for athletes.
Now that lifetime employment is wavering,
the athlete's way of life is actually well-suited to the times.
Instead of thinking about post-retirement work through the lens of 'anxiety',
think about it through 'design'.
The moment you adopt that perspective,
income anxiety changes from a 'problem' into a 'strategy'.
6. Income anxiety is not the end
You don't need to rush.
You don't need to hurry for answers.
But please, do not close your eyes.
Earning power is not about chasing money.
It is the ability to design how you deliver your value to society.
Your athletic career is
already an asset more than sufficient.
How will you use that asset?
You are the only one who can decide that.
Especially in an era of rising prices,
an athlete's dual career
becomes the 'ultimate preparation' to protect your future.
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