James Hird: 7 things I’ve learned about work, sport and life

From an illustrious AFL career to redefining himself completely outside of football, AIA Vitality Ambassador James Hird, shares some of the life lessons he’s learned along the way.

Life doesn’t move in a straight line. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that being adaptable can go a long way when it comes to getting through difficult times. 

Retiring from footy in 2007 hit me harder than I ever thought it would, and the ensuing few years really knocked my confidence and self-esteem. It took a long time for me to get back on track – and I spoke about this with my old friend Shane Crawford in some depth last month – but I did get back on track. And I’ve never felt better.

As one of AIA Vitality’s newest ambassadors, I’m excited to begin sharing some of the things I’ve learned along the way. I’m not saying all of this will work for you, but it certainly helped me. 

It can be so easy to get caught up in work or our other responsibilities that we neglect to take time for ourselves. But I think as you get older, you gradually understand yourself a little better – around what you need physically or mentally, what makes you feel good, and what doesn’t. 

For me, I know that some sort of exercise on a daily basis is so important for my mental health. No matter how tired I am, or how I’m feeling, I’ll always get out for at least a 20-minute walk. It just clears my head, and puts me in a positive place for the day ahead.

Honestly, I know this is nothing new, but a big thing I’m working on at the moment is trying to just focus on one thing at a time. So when I’m doing something, I just want to think about that – not any of the 5000 other things I might normally have running through my brain.

That goes as much for my family and friends as it does for my work life, too. If I’m with my kids, I want to actually be with my kids, not thinking about the next project (or the one after that!). That Michael Jordan documentary proved how amazing MJ was at that – just so singularly focused. I think it’s a nice objective to try and achieve.

I think as a young person, it’s easy to get caught up in the traditional ideas of success – whether that’s in work, business, or in my case, chasing premierships on the footy field. But I think the one thing I enjoyed most out of my football career, that I didn’t necessarily always take stock of at the time, were the friendships.

Being able to work with people you like or admire, on projects you’re passionate about – that’s just such a big thing in life. It’s such a cliché but it’s so much about the journey, and who you travel on that journey with, as it is the destination. 

I think it’s so important to maintain perspective when it comes to whatever you’re working on. It could be really stressful and challenging and leave you feeling burned out and overworked – but then you might be able to look back on it fondly, and realise that it actually played a part in your personal or professional development. Of course not all projects are going to be enjoyable, but I think there’s always something to learn, one way or the other. 

When I retired from footy, I didn’t think I was going to miss it like I did. But it crept up on me, and I didn’t realise until it was too late that I’d lost my sense of identity. And it’s not about what other people think either – it’s about what your identity is for you. That’s who you wake up with every day, that’s who’s looking back at you in the mirror.

It took a hell of a lot to work through, and it took a lot of support from my wife, family and friends, but it is possible – and I’m so happy with this place I’m at now. Even when it feels like there’s no hope left, you can find new ways to be happy that you mightn’t have ever thought of before. 

Sport taught me the importance of loving what you do. I was lucky enough to play at a high level, and I think so much of that is down to just loving the game. When you’re that passionate about something, it doesn’t feel like work, and it’s so much easier to just go that little bit further.

But whether it’s sports or your professional or personal life – I think the lesson, for me, is that you know when you’ve found your passions, because they rarely feel like hard work. And if they do feel like hard work, that work is at least enjoyable (for the most part – even the best jobs have bad bits!) 

I think compassion, empathy, and understanding for other people – and trying to put yourself in their shoes – is huge. A lot of us aren’t that good at it – I know I’m not, and it takes work. But just taking a step back and asking yourself: ‘Why is this person acting like that? Why do they think that? Why do they believe that? What's their situation? What could've happened?’ Asking those five questions just gives you a different lens to look through to someone. I think it's one of the most important things in life – to have empathy and compassion, not just for the person, but for the situation that they may be in. Particularly with everything going on in the world right now – compassion is huge. 

Copyright © 2020 AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861 AFSL 230043). This is general information only, without taking into account factors like the objectives, financial situation, needs or personal circumstances of any individual and is not intended to be financial, legal, tax, medical, nutritional, health, fitness or other advice.

AIA Vitality Ambassador James Hird is a former professional AFL player, Brownlow Medalist, sports commentator and entrepreneur. After opening up about his own struggles over the past few years, James is now a champion for mental health issues and the importance of honest, open conversations.