Doug Baldwin has no second thoughts about his decision to retire from the NFL.

According to the former Seattle Seahawks receiver, the process of deciding to retire began well before he suffered a slew of injuries during his final season.

"It was a process longer than just last year," Baldwin said. "I think when you come into the NFL or any entertainment business as a young person, you have to be selfish, you have to be self-centered because it's all about self-preservation in that arena. I'm not saying this is the general population of athletes and entertainers, but I think a lot of us struggle with the concept of having a god complex, thinking that we're invincible and that we're immortal in some ways, and when you start to come to grips with the reality of being mortal and knowing that this is all going to come to an end at some point, you start to see the world differently. Perspective changes. I've been going through that process for a number of years. It actually started my second year in the NFL, understanding that eventually there's got to be a plan."

For Baldwin, the challenge isn't about missing the sport that he has played for most of his life.

"It's more so that my identity has been wrapped up in football since I was 6 years old," he said. "Navigating not having that, not having the instant feedback and the false affirmation of what my value was in the world because I had caught touchdowns on some days, I'm navigating that as a human on a very human level. That process has been challenging to say the least, but it's also been a rewarding one because it's allowed me to refocus my passions but also to re-understand who I am in the greater scheme of things and how I fit into the world."