Why I’m Done Working Hard (And You Should Be Too)

We grew up believing that hard work was the ultimate badge of honor — especially as athletes. Hustle harder. Push through. No excuses. But what happens when you hit your 30s and realize… maybe that kind of grind isn’t it anymore?

In this episode, we unpack the moment Erin said, “I’m not a hard worker anymore. I’m a soft worker.” And something about that phrase broke us open.

This convo dives into:

• What it means to become a “soft worker” in a world that worships burnout

• Why rest isn’t laziness — it’s a strategy

• How athlete conditioning screws with our relationship to ease, effort, and worth

• Flow state, perfectionism, and redefining success in real life

• Napping as productivity (yep, we went there)

• And the hilarious core memory of being complimented for hard work… in a failed teenage flirt attempt

If you’ve ever felt guilty for not grinding 24/7 — this one’s for you.

Hit play, let it soften your day, and join us in rewriting the rules of “working hard.”

Are you still an athlete if you're not competing anymore?
In this episode of No Former Athlete, I sit down with one of my best friends and former college basketball teammates, Allie Ross, for a raw and honest conversation about what happens after sports end.

We talk about the identity crisis that hits when the season’s over, how external validation shaped our entire self-worth, why we both shoved our "athlete selves" into a box and hid it under the bed — and how we’re slowly learning to reclaim that identity on our own terms.

This conversation is about more than sports — it’s about grief, transition, healing, and the complicated journey of figuring out who you are when the jersey comes off.

👉 Topics We Cover:

• Athlete identity after college

• The emotional fallout of “the last game”

• Compartmentalization and emotional regulation

• The pressure to always have a goal

• Using fitness (like triathlon) to feel “valid” again

• Learning to feel without performance

Whether you’re a former athlete or just someone who’s ever asked, “Who am I now?” — this one’s for you.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jax—athlete, entrepreneur, and founder of California’s first sports bar dedicated to women’s sports, Watch Me. Jax opens up about reclaiming her athlete identity, navigating identity shifts post-sport, and the fire that fueled her journey from JV standout to community trailblazer. We talk about what it means to start before you’re ready, building safe spaces, and how sports continue to shape our drive, self-worth, and vision. This one’s for anyone who’s ever struggled to find their place after the final whistle.