Courtesy of aflplayers.com.au, retiring Richmond ruckman Ivan Maric pens a letter to his younger self...

Ivan,

Remember the relationships that count.

Invest time in people in your life that matter. The ones that will be there long after your career ends.

Don’t be lured into the glitz and glamour of the lifestyle being an AFL footballer presents.

Use your position of “power” to influence people to be better people. You are not better than anyone else.

Be honest, especially with yourself.

Be grateful to all the people who help you along the way, no matter how important you think their job is. Say “thank you” when a trainer delivers you a bottle of water at training.

Be generous with your time. At the end of the day that is what people remember and value. How you make them feel can help build stronger connections with all the people you will meet.

Remember why you started. Don’t lose sight of where you came from, no matter where you end up.

Wake up every day and try to be a better person than you were yesterday. Always seek continuous improvement.

Be good to your family, they will ride the highs and lows with you. It is not going to be a smooth journey.

Be grateful to your wife, thank her for being patient and supportive because you’re not always easy to live with.