It was not an easy decision to make, but former SuperSport United midfielder Jesse Donn has officially decided to step away from playing to pursue a business that's meant to make the lives of footballers, and the normal citizen, easier.
It's a scary place to be in because it comes with a lot of uncertainty, but Donn has chosen to believe in what's in his heart at the moment. What makes things a bit easier is having a wife who is there to take the journey with him.
READ: The Big Mistake Pirates Made In The Transfer Market
At 25, Donn should still be on the pitch, but he understands that sometimes there's redirection in life and it can lead to even greater things, which is why he wants to see this through.
He was close to signing with TS Galaxy after leaving SuperSport at the end of last season, but a deal did not materialise. He and his wife wanted to be rooted in Gauteng, which is why offers outside of the province and the country were not considered.
"I have officially stepped away from football. I don't know how long that will be. What I have realised in this season of my life is that being in a place of indecision and being in between and leaving many doors open is not great as a man who is married and is trying to start a family. At the moment, I have made a decision to step away from football and in the process of stepping away I have been setting up my business called 'A Better Way'. That has taken time to get going and it's still in the early stages, but it's something I am passionate about. I am also doing something that's completely left field and that's working for a marketing company called Purecoms. It's sort of part-time and I am learning the ropes," Donn said to the Siya crew.
"A lot of my decisions come from faith rather than football. For a long time all I did was chase a football and then God really challenged me to make sure that he is the biggest thing in my life and he is the one who determines my steps. It's not that God said I should step away, but my wife and I were holding onto a few words that we do feel God has spoken over us. In being obedient to those words, it led me away from football. It can be difficult for some people to understand, but I do feel like it's the right move. I did not see it coming and I must admit it has been the most difficult six months of my life."
Starting a business is like getting promoted to the senior team in football. It's the process of starting from the bottom and working to get to the top. That's where Donn is at the moment, starting in another industry to try to get himself to a place.
"Players who played with me know that I was pretty obsessed with making sure that my lifestyle was optimised to make sure I could be the best footballer I could be. I was never really the most talented player. I had enough talent, but when you step up to the high level, the pool of talent is a lot higher. In essence, I was obsessed with finding a better way to eat, to sleep, to stay fit, to take supplements and to better my mental health. It extended further than football because I love finding out a better way to do things. That's where the name came from.
READ: Chiefs' Loaned Out Players: One In One Out?
"Most of my clients are aspirational. They aren't athletes, but they do want to perform highly. Even for the ones who don't, it's about how do you apply that concept of marginal gains to your life. That's where it started, helping people make lifestyle changes when it comes to food, sleep, exercise and all those sorts of things. The lifestyle component is probably what we miss the most as South African footballers, if I am completely honest. Some of the time it's just ill-discipline, unfortunately, but a lot of the time it's about a lack of education on the topics. No one's to blame for that and it's not to say the players are lazy. I just think the circles players operate in have landed us in a place where players don't always know the best ways to live as an athlete. I am getting a few players to coach from a lifestyle perspective. I don't want to be a life coach, but a lifestyle coach, specifically for footballers. Obviously a player's lifestyle is different to somebody who is working a 9 to 5. That's kind of what I am doing and what I want to pursue going forward.
"My wife and I have been super blessed that the business she runs has been doing really well. We've been fine in terms of provision and finances and we continue to trust God. It's been a learning curve as a man, to not be the bread winner in a season. It can cause insecurity and doubt and your ego takes a knock. There's a whole lot where one side you are learning a whole bunch of things and then there's the side where there's insecurity and doubt."
With his determination to succeed in his latest venture, Donn plans to work hard to make a difference in the lives of his clients.
