Personal Next. Melinda Harrison

Original Research: The book deeply explores career transition, mapping it on an arc that all high-performers move through. Based on Harrison’s ground-breaking, original research into the experiences of elite athletes, Personal Next explains the nine key PRACTICES that are in play in high performance when successfully navigating transition from one stage of work activity to another. The High Performer in Transition: The book illuminates the psychological and emotional impacts of high-level athletic life. It draws parallels between the experiences of elite athletes with those of high-performers in business and the arts, and offers practical understanding for all readers who are navigating career and life transitions. The common thread is that all have achieved in the past, are now in a period of pause, and are in pursuit of new meaning. After the Podium: There has been much in the press recently about negative aspects of sport (e.g., hazing and other abusive relationships, injuries, addiction). This coaching book delves into the positives and negatives of elite training and performance, demystifying the athlete’s journey and making real the many challenges faced when the spotlight turns away from the athlete. The book gives guidance for how athletes and others can use the formidable experiences they’ve had to date to tackle new challenges. Public Fascination: The public fascination with the success journeys of elite athletes and the lessons to be learned from them is evident in the billions of people worldwide who have tuned in to the Olympic games. (An estimated 3.5 billion people watched the Rio Olympics in 2016.) High-performers learn and can relate to the unique circumstances that affect the athlete and how these lessons from sport can be applied to their own career and life changes.