No, I’m not a recovering addict of any kind (debatable after you’ve read this yarn) but when reality bites, sometimes it can feel a tad more dramatic than it really is. 

Yes, we all get old and we have to sometimes give up the things we love – all for the greater good. However, having played football for as long as I can remember, this has been the year where my boots have officially (but could be negotiated at a later date) been hung up. 

Now, to the non-footballer, this will seem like a tedious decision that could be made while eating a Krispy Kreme (feel free to send some), but to this pale-skinned/brought up in the miserable mud island/Scottish immigrant – this has been a huge decision and one of great torment. So bare with me… 

Football for me is a way of life, from playing it myself, to supporting my teams of choice. There is passion. Commitment. Training. Despair. Reward. All the things you would want from a sport. 

These same things we also find in our career of choice. Or at least I have. 

Passion – to be creative at heart, the passion has to be there. It will dwindle at times, but as long as it still burns, keep it burning. 

Commitment – if you are not committed to your team, the client and/or what they need, then you will ultimately fall short. 

Training – you need to be fit. Not always physically, but your skill set and mental stamina always need to be ready to meet the challenge of an ever-changing environment. 

Despair – you win some, you lose some. There are lots of battles out there and when you put your heart into something and the outcome is not what you expected, it’s easy to give in. But don’t give in to despair. Try again. Harder and better. 

Reward – for some people this can be financial. Others, it’s  seeing your hard work come to life, benefitting those who have empowered you to help them. 

Fortunately, the mind seems to be a bit stronger and fitter than the body these days. So while the mental fatigue may kick in from hard work, at least I don’t have 3 days of recovery with clicking knees and aching hips that a game of football would bring. 

We all have to accept that we can’t be young forever. We have to call it a day when our body takes more hits than it can cope with. I’m still trying to find a substitute to make up for my lack of playing football, but dammit, these Krispy Kreme’s sure are a good start!