Chris Pronger: There is Always a Light at the End of the Tunnel

Another week, another all-encompassing, tell-all Twitter thread from former NHL all-star defenceman and current financial entrepreneur Chris Pronger. This time, the topic was that of life after hockey, and the various ways NHL players are setup to succeed/fail. The bulk of Pronger’s message is listed below: "After a long summer hiatus off the Twitter grid I am back with a new thread. I am excited to peel back the onion and get into more in depth subjects that need a voice. https://twitter.com/chrispronger/status/1584553163142533121 For those always wondering what happened to your favorite player from your childhood, for many, there is not a good answer. As a professional athlete, everything revolves around structure and a schedule. You are told where to go and what to do from the time you wake up. After retirement that is not the case. For many former athletes they struggle with purpose. They have always been Player X “the professional athlete”. Their whole identity has revolved around their respective sport. I tried to debunk this as early into my career as I could. I did this deliberately so that I wouldn’t face a lot of the same demons that others I know did. Well guess what... I still faced the same challenges as many of my former teammates who have come before me and many after me. I struggled with purpose and the thought of what to do next. No matter how prepared we think we are, the end still sucks and is hard to take. Believe it or not we all face these same issues we just don’t want to admit it or talk about it. When you spend your entire life immersed in a business and/or sport it is incredibly hard to let go. Yet how much do we really know about what someone is dealing with inside. Their emotions and the struggle is real. Nothing in life can come close to playing in front 20k-50k screaming fans. No boardroom. No negotiation. Nothing. We strive for that rush of adrenaline that we once had at a whim and now for many it is unattainable. Many people turn to drugs, alcohol, gambling or a combination of all three. Just to feel a rush again. Most of you will ask why? Turn the page you overpaid jock? You are set for life. Blah blah blah … The mind and more to the point our mental health doesn’t work that way. The inner voice is incredibly powerful. It can overtake the strongest of people. Well guess what... There is a positive to all this. Who are the most sought after employees in corporate America? You are correct: former athletes. Yes you heard that right. Whether at the high school and college level or the professional level. Former athletes are coachable and willing to work within a team environment. No question about that. Ohhh, did I mention work ethic. You do not become an athlete by being lazy! There is always light at the end of the tunnel you just need to refocus and see the light. As I continue to peel back the onion layers of what the mind of a professional athlete looks like, and what we deal with on and off the field/ice/court. If you want to know more let’s dig deep into this abyss called sports and life after! I want to keep opening up everyones eyes to what is actually going on behind the scenes. So comment on this thread and let me know if you are wanting more in depth answers. Ask away. Let me know what you want to learn more about."