Table 1.

Emerging themes and subthemes following inductive content analysis.

Challenges	Bad teachers (n = 15)
	Environmental (parents, discouragement, critique, role modeling, competition, social comparison, late specialization, psychological stigma, institution culture, politics, relocation, travel, adjustment, culture clashes; n = 15)
	Professional (changing industry & requirements; n = 15)
	Psychological (“crash” around 19 years old, anxiety, procrastination, depression, dealing with criticism, social media negativity, difficulty planning and self-managing, identity foreclosure, personal problems, eating disorders; n = 13)
	Physical (injury, appearance, age, energy; n = 11)
Coping sources	Good teachers, inspirational role models (n = 15)
	Friends & family (n = 15)
	Self-help literature (n = 10)
	Humor (n = 3)
	Preparation (n = 15)
	Psychological strategies (n = 9)
	Health habits (n = 8)
	Substances (drugs, alcohol, alternative medicine, beta-blockers; n = 13)
Preferences for support	Characteristics (inspirational, freedom, like-mindedness + preferred early introduction to psychological skills & advice; n = 10)
	Complete skills package: Professional (business, networking, media), personality & communication (friendliness, connection, presence), psychological skills; n = 13)
Beliefs	Talent & Skill Development (n = 13)
	Wellbeing & Performance (WB “more important” than/underpinning performance success; n = 12)
Differences	Practice: (emphasis on high quantity; pre-elites; n = 5)
	Versatility (transitioning elites; self-marketing skills, communication, social media, awareness that conventional career pathway of the established elites is no longer viable; n = 3)
	Benefits of challenge (performer persona & coping skills; elites & transitioning elites; n = 9)
	Positive health habits (elites; n = 5)
	Specific psychological strategies (elites & transitioning elites; n = 8)
	Philosophical perspectives (elites; n = 5)