154 | Courageous Career Changes: Uncertainty & New Beginnings with Pastor & Coach Chris McCormick

About the Guest

Chris McCormick is a former Division 1 strength and conditioning coach who worked at Gardner-Webb University and Florida Atlantic University. Throughout his career, he played a crucial role in athlete preparation and development, initially with aspirations of ascending to an Athletic Director role. However, McCormick’s journey took an unexpected turn when he transitioned from collegiate sports to full-time ministry. Today, he serves as the lead pastor at Reliant Church, passionately investing in spiritual growth and fostering community, leveraging his strengths as a coach to guide his congregation.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Becoming UnDone®, host Toby Brooks delves into the transformative journey of Chris McCormick, a former Division 1 strength and conditioning coach who transitioned into ministry. The conversation opens up with Chris’s journey of how he achieved his dream job but found himself disillusioned and striving for more fulfillment. Brooks and McCormick explore how pivotal experiences, such as family commitments and community engagements, guided Chris toward a spiritual calling, eventually leading him to become the lead pastor at Reliant Church.

Throughout the episode, themes of identity and purpose take center stage. McCormick shares intimate reflections on the pressures and expectations that come with high-performance roles in sports, shining a light on burnout and the internal struggle of aligning personal values with professional aspirations. He candidly discusses the crossroads he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it steered him toward a path of church planting and community leadership. The adaptation from cultivating physical strength to nurturing spiritual growth highlights Chris’s inspiring pivot and the newfound significance he finds in pastoral work.

Key Takeaways

• Identity beyond profession: Chris McCormick illustrates the challenge of disentangling personal identity from professional roles, learning through his journey that he was not defined by his position as a coach.
• Navigating career transitions: The episode explores the emotional and spiritual journey of pivoting from a career in collegiate sports to pursuing full-time ministry, driven by a deeper purpose.
• The impact of burnout: Reflecting on his path, McCormick discusses how burnout and pressures in his former roles demanded careful evaluation and ultimately, a career shift.
• The essence of adaptability: Chris’s journey highlights adaptability and resilience, showing how skills accrued in one profession can fuel success in another.
• Purposeful living: Emphasizing his faith journey, McCormick inspires listeners with the message that profound change is possible when following a higher calling.

Notable Quotes

1. “Gardner-Webb was like everything I ever wanted in a job. And it was like it wasn’t what I wanted it to be.”
2. “Pressure is going to essentially expose what’s forming you. And once we figure that out, it might be a good thing or a bad thing.”
3. “There was such an excitement about this new venture jumping out.”
4. “If you don’t love every single thing about it, you will get swallowed up.”
5. “You are not your job, and you will be replaced in a heartbeat if you think you’re more important than you really are.”

Resources

• Reliant Church
• Chris McCormick on LinkedIn

This insightful episode of Becoming UnDone® with Chris McCormick offers a unique perspective on navigating life’s unexpected turns and finding fulfillment beyond conventional success metrics. Tune in to hear the full conversation and stay engaged for more episodes that dive deep into the transformative stories of high achievers.

Timestamp Summary 0:00 From Strength Coach to Pastor: Chris McCormick’s Journey 3:53 The Demanding Lifestyle of Division 1 Strength Coaches 8:35 Balancing Career Ambitions with Family and Financial Struggles 15:36 Navigating Career Dissatisfaction and Purpose Storms 19:46 From Coaching to Ministry: A Journey of Faith and Change 27:26 From Coaching to Ministry: Lessons in Leadership and Growth 33:50 The Challenge of Measuring Success in Sports and Spirituality 36:17 Balancing Pressure, Identity, and Behavior in Professional Life 37:41 Burnout as a Result of Deep-Rooted Issues 40:45 Finding Purpose Beyond Career and Embracing Personal Growth 44:54 Chris McCormick’s Life Soundtrack and Unfinished Purpose 47:14 Supporting Coaches to Prevent Burnout and Enhance Family Life 50:36 Finding Clarity in Becoming UnDone® 52:01 Overcoming Challenges and Inspiring Growth Through Sports and Faith