The athlete identity
Elite athletes are shaped by selection, sacrifice and visible performance. Their identity is reinforced daily by coaches, teammates, schedules and audiences.
Retirement removes most of these at once.
What AURIS adds
AURIS treats retirement as a structured identity transition, not a lifestyle adjustment. It gives athletes language, regulation and a pathway back to purpose.
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- Psychology · 1 min readRole Exit
Role exit is the structured process of leaving a role that has shaped the self. It has predictable stages and predictable risks.
- Psychology · 1 min readSelf-Concept
Self-concept is the organised set of beliefs you hold about yourself. It is updateable, and that is the work of transition.
- Psychology · 1 min readPurpose
Purpose is the felt sense that what you do matters. It is rebuilt deliberately, not waited for.
- Foundations · 1 min readWhat is Occupational Transition?
Occupational transition is the structured change of a person's primary role, leaving the military, the NHS, emergency services, elite sport or another high-identity occupation.
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About the author
Gemma Gardner
Founder and Research Lead, AURIS Institute
Gemma Gardner leads the AURIS research programme on identity and occupational transition. Her work builds the evidence base behind the AURIS Framework and the Identity System, drawing on interviews with service leavers, families and the organisations that support them.
- Lead author, Identity Performance Psychology white paper series
- Principal investigator, AURIS identity adaptation interview programme
- Author of AURIS submissions on identity in occupational transition
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