Erwin Benedict Valencia

I recently returned from an extraordinary summer — two months in Europe, culminating in an unforgettable two-week experience at Mindvalley U in Amsterdam. There, I connected with remarkably expansive, high-vibrational people — My People. Conversations were profound, the personal growth was rapid, and the dancing…non-stop. This wasn’t just a trip I came back from — I returned different. Yet what surprised me most wasn’t my European discoveries.

Just about two years ago, I made a decision that both terrified and thrilled me: I stepped away from my dream career and took a sabbatical…for my body, my mind, and most especially my soul. I had spent years climbing ladders, chasing milestones, ticking boxes society (and my mother, respectfully) told me mattered. But beneath all the titles, the bright lights, and the travel miles, something felt missing. My soul was whispering — then yelling — that I needed space. So I listened.

After almost 20 years in professional sports, I’m finally learning that the real win is becoming unapologetically me. The Curse of Being Overqualified There’s a special kind of frustration that comes with hearing, “You were incredible — but we went with someone else.” It’s the heartbreak of second place. Not because you weren’t good enough. But because you were too much. Too experienced. Too accomplished. Too expensive.