Often it is only in hindsight that we fully appreciate our achievements.
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It is particularly true of professional athletes, and has been for one-time Pirates half-back Mick Snowden.
Four years retired now from a career that took him from Tamworth, to Sydney, to Perth, Melbourne and back to Sydney, being out of that bubble has given the 36-year-old a newfound pride for what he achieved.
"It probably sounds silly, but I'm a lot more proud of my career now than I was while it was happening," he said when asked how he reflects on his career.
"When it's happening, you're so caught up in 'am I getting a contract?', 'how much game time am I getting?' and all that kind of stuff."
"Now I sort of look back and go I was lucky to play for three different Super Rugby teams, play ITM Cup in New Zealand, play against the British and Irish Lions, and against the Wallabies, and win a couple of Shute Shields."
The Lions in 2013 is pretty hard to go past as a highlight for the fact that it was such a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"It's one you'll always tell your kids about, just because of how unique it is," Snowden said.
"There's only a tour once every 12 years so the chance to play against a team like that is so hard to come by."
Snowden got his chance with Combined Country, and lined up opposite Ireland legend Conor Murray, and later Welsh half-back Mike Phillips.
Of course his Super Rugby debut is also pretty memorable. That came for the Western Force against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on February 23, 2013.
"It was the reward for all of the hard work that I put in to make it and play Super Rugby, so to actually take the field for the first time was pretty awesome," he said.
"But I'd actually say one of the proudest moments is just making my first grade debut for Eastwood."
"The whole reason I left Tamworth was to play first grade.
"I didn't expect much more than that."
"So looking back now at it, it's still one of the things that I'm proudest of because it was the first really big goal that I got to achieve."
Rugby has remained a big part of his life post-footy, with the now father-of-two the director of rugby at Trinity Grammar School in Sydney since late 2019 and also involved with the Waratahs under 18s program.
Initially coming on board as the backs coach for the Tahs, for the last three years he's been the head coach.
"I love it," Snowden said.
"You get to work with literally the best kids in the entire state.
"It's a different level and really, really enjoyable."
Among those he has had the privilege to coach is Waratahs teen sensation Max Jorgensen.
The 2023 RUPA (Rugby Union Players' Association) Newcomer of the Year was part of the program in 2022.
Another player he had in that side was Narrabri's Joey Fowler. It was a bit of a full circle moment with Snowden remembering playing against his father Chris during his Pirates days.
Always planning to go into teaching after rugby - he was actually completing his degree while he was playing - he does spend a bit of time in the classroom.
But his main job is running the school's rugby program.
"We've got 350-odd kids that play it so you're looking after everything from coaches to kick-off times to this, that and the other," Snowden said.
"Basically the whole program from the bottom up."
The first two years were impacted by COVID. But the last two have been "full tilt", which he said has been great.
