This week we welcome Phil Costa, former NFL Player for the Dallas Cowboys. We dive into a question every athlete must eventually face when they come to the end of their plying career: "What now?” Phil shares his experience trying to remake himself after football is over, we discuss how sports prepares athletes for life, when the best time for an athlete to network is, and w also spend some time talking about his great book, The Transition Playbook for ATHLETES: How Elite Athletes WIN After Sports       Highlights from the Podcast: Paul talks about how he came up with his book The Transition Playbook for ATHLETES: How Elite Athletes WIN After Sports How do sports prepare an athlete for life? What happens to a professional athlete when the playing days are over? How did the NFL prepare Paul for life after sports?  When should an athlete start preparing for the transition after sports? What were the differences in struggling between men and women transitioning out of sports?     Phil played for the Dallas Cowboys, from 2010-2013, and is a graduate of Columbia University with an MBA in 2018. He has won accolades in high school, college, and professional football, including South Jersey Football HOF inductee and best Center in the NFL Week 6 of 2012 Season by ProFootballTalk.com.     Phil received his B.A. from the University of Maryland in Social Science, focusing in Criminal Justice. Maryland is a top school for Criminal Justice and ranked #1 in the country. He graduated with honors, maintaining a GPA over 3.0, and was recognized on the ALL-ACC Academic Team in 2007 and 2008. During his Senior Year, Phil was elected Team Captain by his teammates.       Resources mentioned: The Transition Playbook for ATHLETES: How Elite Athletes WIN After Sports Book by Phil Costa Every Moment Matters Book by John O'Sullivan       Connect with Phil Costa Email: pcosta6767@gmail.com Linked in Profile       5th Annual Way of Champions Conference registration is open!  We will be in Colorado Springs, CO June June 26-28. Click here for more information.      Help Support the Podcast!   Become a Podcast Champion! …and get FREE access to ALL of our online courses.    We are now offering you the ability to contribute as a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including:  Downloadable transcripts of the podcasts, so you don't have to crash your car trying to take notes! A monthly discussion with John, James, Jerry, and other special guests talking about the previous month's episodes and answering some of the FAQs we received that month A code to get free access to our online course called "Coaching Mastery," usually a $97 course, but yours for free for becoming a patron. Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.     Thank you for all your support these past two years, and a special big thank you to all of you who become part of our inner circle, our patrons, who will enable us to take our podcast to the next level. https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions