Overcoming Setbacks and Building Mental Toughness with Stefan Mauk.

Why did I start this Podcast?

The idea behind the Podcast is to provide a behind-the-scenes type conversation on how players, coaches, agents, etc. became Overseas Athletes.

I'll speak to them about how the process started, what and who was involved, the details behind how they moved overseas and the lessons they’ve learned.

Over time I want it to be an educational resource for current and future young athletes who want to chase their dreams on a global stage 🌎️

I'm hoping that these interviews will help them along the way. It will also help guide them around important topics such as; agents, visas, contracts, currency management, banking & finance, nutrition, fitness, recovery, overall health, culture, language barriers and sponsorship, along with many other subjects.

⚽️ 🌏️ Episode 11 - Stefan Mauk

Hello there,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. I'm excited to share with you some of the highlights from my recent podcast episode where I had the pleasure of interviewing a professional football player. His journey from Adelaide to Japan, his resilience, and his dedication to the sport are truly inspiring.

👀 A sneak peek into this week’s episode

The Making of a Pro: Stefan shared his journey from playing in local teams to securing a contract in the A-League and eventually moving overseas to play in Japan. His story is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance.

Resilience is Key: He emphasised the importance of resilience and learning from setbacks. His experiences growing up in a different era of youth football development and his time at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) have shaped him into the athlete he is today.

The Importance of Self-Care: Stefan highlighted the significance of discipline, self-motivation, and taking care of one's body. He shared how the resources available at the AIS, such as nutritionists and sports psychologists, played a crucial role in his development.

Transitioning to Independence: He shared his experiences transitioning from playing in the youth team to living independently in Melbourne. Despite the challenges, he managed to adapt and learn how to do things on his own, emphasising the importance of taking responsibility for oneself.

The Power of Mental Toughness: Stefan shared his struggles during his first game in the A-League and the resilience required to handle the cutthroat nature of professional football. He emphasised the importance of mental toughness and the need to be prepared for demanding training and coaching styles.

The Need for Mental Health Education: We discussed the lack of education and support for players' mental health in the football industry. I believe that instead of trying to protect young players from failure, they should be taught how to handle setbacks and develop resilience.

The Inner Games Journals: Stefan shared his work on the Inner Games Journals, which he developed to help players set goals, reflect on their performance, and take control of their own careers. His passion for inspiring the next generation and creating mindful athletes is truly commendable.

I hope you find these insights as fascinating as I did. If you're curious to hear more about our guest's journey and his insights into the world of professional football, I invite you to listen to the full podcast episode.

Learn more about The Inner Game Journals

Full episode:

🎙️ New Episodes will start being released in 2024. Until then you can listen to all of Season One below ⬇️ 

💱 Currency Update from SportsFX

🇦🇺 The last two weeks have seen a large move for the Australian Dollar against the USD, moving up to 5% since the middle of November. The move has been fuelled by expectations that the US have finished with their aggressive rate increases and with inflation figures missing the mark in recent months, the talk has even turned to interest rate cuts which have been the USD sell-off across the board, with the EUR, GBP and AUD taking advantage and moving to multi-month highs.

With inflation figures in Australia still sitting higher than expected, there are continued reports of further interest rate rises locally which could continue to give the “Aussie” a boost.

The New Zealand Dollar also saw a boost yesterday after a hawkish statement from the RBNZ, giving hope that a potential interest rise was “on the cards”

🇺🇸 📈 Up 0.32% for the week against the USD, and 4.5% higher for November sitting at 0.6606 on Friday morning.

🇬🇧 📊 Even for the week against the GBP, it has remained very flat for about 2 months sitting at 0.5232 on Friday morning.

🇪🇺 📈 Up 0.81% for the week against the EUR, 0.6067 on Friday morning.

🇳🇿 📉 Down 0.83% for the week against the NZD, 1.0735 on Friday morning.

If you have any upcoming requirements to either send or receive money anywhere in the world, please reach out to speak about your Currency Options below, what can SportsFX help with.

1. Bank Beating Exchange Rates 💱 

2. International Multi-Currency Accounts 🏦 

3. Personalised Advice 🤝 

4. Risk Management 📊 

Upcoming Episodes

🆕 📅 Episode 012 - Alistair Heath - An incredible journey from Leicester City to the Cambodian Premier League.

🆕 📅 Episode 013 - Cameron Crestani - Exploring the challenges and triumphs of being an overseas athlete in Norway.

If you liked the episode, please share it with a friend who might find it useful. 📩 

You can follow The Overseas Athlete on the below channels ⬇️