Episodes

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6am, Matt Mounier hosts “Unlocking Your Athlete Mindset” calls to help former athletes leverage our athletic mindset long after our playing days are over. A few weeks ago, Matt invited me on as a guest speaker to talk about having confidence in life after sports. One of my favorite things that Matt and I discussed was how confidence must be self-generated when we no longer have sports to attach our sense of self-worth to. My confidence came back once I star...

One of the many things I appreciate about Joi is that when it comes to helping former athletes, she’s always ready to talk solutions. On this episode, we took a deep dive into what it takes to effectively transition out of sports, and into the rest of our lives. Most of us have been conditioned to blindly chase money, and chasing money gets pretty old after a while. Sometimes we have to look at the path we’re on and ask ourselves, “Do I really like where I’m going?” This episode is for anybody w...

Former Boise State tight end Connor Peters felt like a failure when he didn’t make it to the NFL. Like many elite athletes, Connor didn’t have a clear vision for his life after sports. Having no outlet to express the intense drive that he developed as an athlete, Connor found himself deeply unfulfilled in his first job after college. He thought to himself: “It doesn’t really matter what I do for a living now, I’ve already failed to reach my ultimate goal of playing at the next level.” In this in...

6 years ago, around this same time of year, I had a hard time watching football on TV. Just the sound of the whistle reminded me that I would never play the game I love again. I talk to dozens of former athletes every week who still have a hard time watching their sport. Some of them stopped playing nearly a decade ago. If you’ve had a similar experience, I want you to know that just because you didn’t have the athletic career you’d hoped for, doesn’t mean you’re a failure. I think as athletes w...

Former MSU-Denver volleyball player Stephanie Laraway felt like she had lost a part of herself when her college career ended. She eventually grew tired of just “coping” with these feelings, and started being intentional about defining who she was outside of the jersey. Steph realized that if she wanted to help others, she had to heal herself first. In this interview, Stephanie and I discuss our time working together, and how she’s been able to rediscover her ability to create her desired outcome...

If you could create a future version of yourself 10 years, 20 years, or even 30 years into the future, what would this person be like? What would people say about you? What would you be known for? I’ve created a future version of myself named “T-40”. It stands for “40 year old Taj”. Everything I do today is geared towards bringing the vision that I have for my 40 year old self to fruition. No matter where we are in life, we all have the opportunity to become (almost) anything we set our minds to...

When I worked in a corporate environment, people typically came in on Mondays complaining about being back at work. I was one of them. It always bothered me that I was spending so much time and energy in a place where people were just as uninspired as I was. I was only there for a paycheck. I was only there because I was unclear about what I really wanted in life. Eventually, I stopped complaining and started taking responsibility. I realized that a great life doesn’t just happen by accident, it...

Looking back at my 22 year old self, I see a completely lost, frustrated ex-football player struggling with his identity. The truth is: I couldn’t find the answers I needed because I was asking the wrong questions. Everything started to shift once I realized that the questions I ask myself have a direct impact on the outcomes I produce. “Who am I without football?” became “Who do I have the opportunity to become now?” “How can I numb the pain today?” became “How is this pain helping me grow?” “H...

Race isn’t something I talk about often. From the very beginning, my focus has been on helping guide former athletes of all races, from any sport. However, I’ve noticed a pattern among athletes of color that I can’t help but address: In my experience, black athletes (including me) have a harder time opening up, being vulnerable, and asking for help. I believe this is especially true in the case of black athletes, because sports is so often viewed as our way “out” (I’ll save that topic for anothe...

I’d like to thank former Southern Connecticut / retired pro football player Andre Privott for being vulnerable enough to share the internal struggles he overcame during these past few months. I’ve really enjoyed working with this guy and couldn’t be more proud of how far he’s come in such a short period of time. He went from letting the fear of failure hold him back, to landing his first 2 clients before even getting certified as a personal trainer. Andre is well on his way to creating the life ...

This might be the most important topic I’ve covered in a while. What do you do when you feel like you’re not passionate about anything? What if you can’t find your “purpose”? I made this episode for those of you who feel stuck. You know you want more out of life, but you don’t know how to get it. I want you to have the freedom of knowing that there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re in the process of discovery. You’re exactly where you need to be. You don’t have to invent the next billion dollar a...

Former Cal Lutheran basketball player, Andrew Atakpo went from sitting in a cubicle wondering “What am I doing with my life?” to waking up every day feeling inspired, and taking massive action to bring his vision to fruition. Andrew’s new mission is to give people access to practical, insightful information that helps them take control of their finances. Andrew’s #1 piece of advice: Whatever it is that you want, go for it. Shut out the opinions of others, listen to your own inner voice, and neve...

Don’t let the fear of being labeled a “job hopper” keep you stuck where you’re unhappy, unfulfilled, and non-productive. Trust me, it’s okay to walk away sometimes. Of course, we need to be intentional about what we’re getting ourselves into from the start, but often times, trial and error are a necessary part of our evolution. There are times when we pursue a career path (business venture, relationship, etc.) thinking it’s going to be one thing, and it turns out to be something totally differen...

In episode 45 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Taj Dashaun former Stony Brook University football player and now athlete transition coach about his journey and the importance of finding clarity on your career path. In this conversation, Taj walks us through his journey and how he first fell in love with the game of football. An injury his junior year gave him a new view of the business of college athletics. Taj would earn an offer to Stony Brook Universi...

Let's face it: Some of the relationships in our lives are well past their expiration dates. This doesn't necessarily mean we need to start cutting people off, but we may need to limit the amount of time we spend with them. Over the years, I’ve learned to draft people into my life the same way professional teams draft players. I want to be around people who can execute, and bring out the best in me. It's said that a wise person learns from his/her mistakes. A wiser person learns from others' mist...

This is an episode I recorded back in March 2019 with Marina Paul from WE ARE JOX. Marina no longer hosts the podcast (she's moved on to bigger and better things, but hopefully one day she'll be back!)

Unlike most of the former athletes I work with, retired pro volleyball player, Evann Slaughter walked away from her sport voluntarily. In this interview, we discuss how Evann overcame self-doubt and regret by honoring her decision to walk away from the game, and getting excited about her new career as a Physical Therapist. Evann’s #1 piece of advice: Don’t be so hard on yourself. Give yourself time to grow, and put the work in to set yourself up for success. You can be great at other things, it ...

Exercise isn’t about having a 6-pack, it’s about being healthy. How many times have we complained about not sticking to our diets? How many times do we find ourselves not quite “motivated” enough to workout? Working towards a “summer body” is great, but it’s not enough to make us put those running shoes on, or hit the gym when we don’t feel like it. What’s missing is having bigger goals. Goals that involve other people. I want to be able to crawl around on the floor with my grandchildren when th...

No one is happy 100% of the time. Ups and downs are just part of the human experience. We’ll never be able to free ourselves from negative thoughts entirely, but we can always choose what to do with them when they come up. A great mentor once taught me to catch myself having negative thoughts, and replace them with better thoughts. It’s not about elimination, it’s about observing and replacing. It’s all about your bounce back time. Thanks for Listening! Connect with me at https://www.tajdashaun....

A great life doesn’t just happen by accident, it has to be intentionally designed. We have to look at the path we’re on and ask ourselves, “Do I like where I’m going?” Most of us have been conditioned to blindly chase money, and chasing money gets pretty old after a while. It’s enough to get us started, but not enough to keep us going when times get tough. This video is for anybody who feels stuck, frustrated, or unfulfilled, and doesn’t know what to do about it. I’d like to encourage you t...

After going undrafted by the NFL, former Oregon State punter Nick Porebski went from playing on Saturdays to working construction. Like many elite athletes, Nick didn’t have a clear vision for his life after sports. In this interview, Nick and I discuss our time working together, and how he was able to rewire his brain to become a better version of himself. Now Nick is able to control his own destiny and create effective strategies to achieve any goal he sets his mind to. He believes in his ab...

I started working with retired athletes because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life after football. I’ve gone back in time to become the person that I needed in my corner during my transition into life after sports. I’m on a mission to help former athletes live meaningful, fulfilling lives. Not just the find next place to collect a paycheck. I want you to be self-sufficient. I want you to be inspired when you wake up in the morning. If you’re unsatisfied with your job, whether you’re ...