Important lessons for young people to see from the world number one tennis player’s retirement at the top

Career consultants believe that world number one tennis player Ashleigh Barty’s retirement from the sport at the age of 25 offers some important lessons for young people.

“It’s hard to say but I’m very happy and I’m ready for it, knowing it’s going to have to happen now. From the bottom of my heart, it’s the right thing to do,” Barty wrote on social media on March 23.

In an emotional interview with former Australian tennis player Casey Dellacqua, Barty said she felt it was time to pursue other dreams. The world number one tennis player said she had been thinking about the decision for a long time, but winning the Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last year changed her opinion.

Despite achieving her dream of winning Wimbledon, Barty felt a part of her felt unfulfilled, something was missing. “My perspective changed during the second phase of my career, which was that my happiness was independent of results and success for me was knowing that I gave my best,” Barty said. She said that she no longer has the physical or emotional desire to continue to challenge herself with the highest position in the tennis industry. “I’ve run out of energy, I just know that physically I have nothing left to give and that for me is success.”

According to Barty, some people may not understand her decision to step back, especially since she just won her third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. However, she said she has other goals she wanted to pursue and these weren’t exactly the kind of travel the world, away from home, away from home, the place she’d always wanted to return to.

Don’t let yourself be forced

Freelance career consultant Emma Harrison says Barty isn’t the first in her family to make a major career change. Barty’s mother, Josie, was a professional golfer and later became a radiologist.

According to Harrison, it’s important when people consider changing careers to have the support of those closest to them. More broadly, Harrison said it’s interesting that more and more people in their mid to late 20s and early 30s are experiencing a “twenties crisis,” in other words, rethinking. about their goals and priorities. It’s easy for people to feel tied to a chosen job or career, but we shouldn’t be afraid to change direction.

Harrison recommends that people take the time to learn skills, find new hobbies, and talk to others about their career experiences. “It is increasingly common to change careers. This can make people feel intimidating and burdensome, but it can also be invigorating, liberating and lead to more job satisfaction,” she says.

Similarly, career counselor Liz Sebag-Montefiore, co-founder of consulting firm 10Eighty, tells CNBC that when people are constantly faced with many challenges in life, it is advisable to reevaluate the best path for yourself in the future. It’s important to reframe things in a new direction instead of going backwards.

Actively choose

For career and leadership consultant Kat Hutchings, Barty’s admission that she feels missing despite achieving her goals provides an important lesson.

Hutchings told CNBC that we can strive for a title for many years, only to achieve it and find it’s not quite what we expected. This happens at all levels of leadership.

“That means finding satisfaction and enjoyment along the way is more important than the destination.”

It’s both positive for Barty to admit that she’s dedicated herself to professional tennis and that it’s time for her to move on to something new, according to Hutchings. “Going through different stages in a career is a reality that present and future generations must face. Actively choosing a career instead of being stubborn with a career is empowering yourself.”

Heather