Preparation for the Afterlife
Often in the in-between moments of his 18 seasons in Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton has found himself in rooms with legends. Some from other exotic industries: movies, music, fashion-all worlds Hamilton has felt increasing affinity for while becoming the winningest F1 driver in history. And many from other major sports. What he'd noticed was that eventually, particularly with these ageing athletes just on the other side of retirement, the conversation would loop around to the subject of preparation for the afterlife.
Not death, exactly. But life after sport. "I'd spoken to so many amazing athletes, from Boris Becker to Serena Williams, even Michael Jordan," Hamilton, now 39, says. "Talking to greats that I've met along the way, who are retired-or some that are still in competition-and the fear of what's next, the lack of preparation for what's next. A lot of them said: 'I stopped too early.' Or: 'Stayed too long.' 'When it ended, I didn't have anything planned.' 'My whole world came crashing down because my whole life has been about that sport."
"Some of them were like: 'I didn't plan and it was a bit of a mess-up because I was really lost afterwards. There was such a hole. Such a void. And I had no idea how I was going to fill it. And I was in such a rush initially to try and fill it that you fill it with the wrong thing. And you make a few mistakes. And then eventually you find your way. Some people took longer. Some people took shorter. But it just got my mind thinking about: Okay, when I stop, how do I avoid that? And so I got serious about finding other things that I was passionate about."
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