I had the pleasure of interviewing Ivana Petrich on Episode 4 of the Reframe & Reset Your Career podcast. We both played sport at a high level when we were younger and I was interested in discussing insights from playing sport that could be applied to work. I had played cricket for Essex CCC’s Under 19 and Second Team and Ivana played tennis from a young age and competed at an international level.
Ivana was consistently ranked in the Top 4 in Alberta, Canada and regularly competed at national tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals of the U14 Canadian Outdoor Nationals. She was recruited to play on the NCAA Div. 1 women’s tennis team at the University of Delaware, where she broke the school record for all-time career singles wins.
Ivana and I both agreed that playing sport to a high level can help you deal with high pressure situations at work. In the clip below, Ivana talks about how being disciplined and putting in the preparation can give you the confidence to deal with a high pressure situation such as taking the exams which are part of the CFA program. When we sat the exams, they were especially stressful as the exams were only held once a year and they consisted of two 3 hour papers, with only a short break for lunch and you were not allowed to keep any food or water by your desk.
Thanks for a great interview Ivana! If you’re interested in other insights from professional athletes, check out Episode 54 and 8 with Robbie White and Episode 24 with Jamie Cox.
