As a young athlete, TJ Sanders had some very lofty goals.  He was very driven and competitive, and his end goal was to be a professional volleyball player and to become the “best player” in the world.  Upon completion of High school, with this lofty goal in mind, TJ played on two university teams, played with the junior national team and trained at the full-time training center.  Ultimately this drive helped him achieve his goal of becoming a professional player in Europe where he has played in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey and Poland; and he has now played on the National Volleyball team for 7 years.  As a national player, he was a key player in the drive to reach the Olympics in 2016 and the entire team has gone from being 23^rd in the world in 2012 to being ranked as high as 6^th in 2018. 

In this episode, TJ discusses how he deals with the pressure of being the setter (really the quarterback of a volleyball team).  Early on in his career he was obsessed with perfection, however this robbed him of his ability to receive feedback well and to be grateful for the moments of success in his career.  With experience, TJ has come to understand that one needs to go through failures and mistakes to learn and this helps him put less pressure on himself.  He has learned that being critiqued is not about who he is as a person but is an opportunity to grow as a player. This maturity helps him become both a better person and player.

TJ also shares with the listeners about his largest challenge.  At the end of 2018, TJ suffered a possible career ending injury-in lay language a “broken back”.  TJ discusses the identity crisis he went through as he came to terms with his desire to compete and the fact that his body couldn’t.  Through tools such as practicing mindfulness, gratitude and with the support of community; TJ is now grateful for the insight his injury has given him.  His perspective has shifted, and he has learned to focus on the things he can control and to enjoy his day to day experiences. 

TJ is now returning to his professional contract in Poland and hopes to be a part of the Canadian team that plays in the January Olympic qualifier.

Connect with TJ:

Instagram: @sanders_tj