What can we learn about retiring from professional sport from Wimbledon champion, Andy Murray?

Whether due to injury, a change of situation, or simply getting older, retirement from a sporting profession is highly likely to occur before the average age of retirement in other sectors. For many athletes, this could mean that, upon retirement from professional sport, they find themselves having to consider a second career. 

So, what career change lessons can we learn from Andy Murray, and what advice can we take for other ex-athletes going through the same career transitions? 

Here are some of the most powerful points made by Murray in his retirement speech at Wimbledon last week, and how they can apply to a post-sporting career change.

1. “I love this sport:” Passion is power

Perhaps the hardest thing about retiring, no matter what sport you’re retiring from, is working out where you’re going to channel the passion that has driven you so far. As an athlete, you have to consistently perform at the top of your game. That requires patience, dedication, motivation and, above all, passion. 

This passion doesn’t die when you decide to retire from professional sport; it simply transforms. Your challenge now is to channel that passion into a new avenue where you can use your drive and energy in new ways. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to considering a new career path or plan for retirement. Your passion is your power. 

2. “I did find it pretty stressful:” If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.

Being a professional athlete is undoubtedly one of the most consistently challenging and high-pressured career paths out there. Every aspect of your life, from your diet to your performance, is strictly monitored and controlled. You have to be perpetually improving, delivering and excelling past expectations. If you can thrive in this fast-paced and relentless arena, there isn’t much you can’t do. 

Retiring from professional sport offers you a unique opportunity to look back at the other dreams or passions that you had to leave behind in order to commit to your sport. What else did you want to be when you were younger? How can your experience as an athlete help you to achieve that now? It’s an opportunity to breathe, regroup, and re-engage. 

3. "I’ve had incredible support and I think all the players here know that you can’t do this on your own:” Teamwork is key.

In the same way that you need a team around you when you’re an athlete, you need a support system afterwards too. Retirement and career changes can offer their own set of challenges, whether that’s in your physical health following an injury, or in your career as you decide what route to take next. Use the people around you, your network, your teammates, your coaches, your family, and your friends. Seek guidance from people you admire, advice from people you trust, and support from people you love. Remember, teamwork really does make the dream work. 

4. "We’ve worked extremely hard just to be on the court competing:” You know what it means to work for something.

Don’t underestimate your threshold for challenge. Unlike most people, you’ve come face-to-face with challenges almost daily for the duration of your sporting career. You’ve made a living out of competing against other high-level athletes, grinding day-in and day-out to continue bringing your best, no matter the circumstances. You are no stranger to hard work; in fact, you likely thrive on it. 

Where other people see challenge, you see opportunity. Use this unique growth mindset and resilience to your advantage. Embrace adversity. You have already developed the skills and motivation to be successful, now all you must do is apply them to the new challenge ahead of you, whatever it may be. 

5. “It’s given me so much, taught me loads of lessons over the years that I can use for the rest of my life:” Everything is transferrable.

A career in professional sports, as well as being a huge milestone achievement, will arm you with far more than you may have realised. Many athletes don’t realise the wealth of transferrable skills they have adopted throughout their sporting career, let alone how they could be applied outside of it. Some of these skills we have already addressed: motivation, resilience, teamwork. Perhaps the greatest skill, however, is knowing how to apply them.
Andy acknowledges the lessons he’s learnt, and importantly, the fact that he can continue to learn from them throughout his life, far beyond the courts of Wimbledon. 

You too, should take a moment to reflect on the skills, experiences and lessons you have obtained throughout your career. Now think about all the places where these skills could be valuable; coaching skills in a classroom; people skills in a client-facing role; discipline in running a business. When you recognise your talent, you recognise your potential. Don’t limit your potential to what you believe is possible; start with the impossible and work back from there.

How can St. James’s Place help me as an athlete considering a career change?

A career in financial advice may not be the first one that springs to mind when you think about what awaits you after your career in professional sport. In fact, it may not even be in the top 10, or 20, or 30. But it should be.

Retiring from your career in professional sports doesn’t mean your career journey ends here. It’s important to consider how you can use the skills you’ve derived from your time as an athlete to help you on your next journey. 

The St. James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy offers a comprehensive career change training programme to help people from all backgrounds to become a financial adviser. This career offers high earning potential, a rewarding, client-facing role, and the opportunity to make a genuine difference to people’s lives. Hear from other ex-athletes who have found their place outside of the pitch here.