Since today is the holiday set aside to honor our country’s workforce and I am “retiring” from my full-time job, I’m thinking a lot about the role work plays in establishing our identities. And since it’s September, I’m also watching a ton of U.S. Open tennis. Believe it or not, the latter has helped me draw some conclusions about the former.
Before the tournament began, Kim Clijsters, a 29 year-old multiple major-winner from Belgium, had already announced her retirement. While this was set to be a send-off for a great champion, Andy Roddick’s decision to announce his retirement on his 30th birthday came as a surprise. He gave the usual reasons – his body was falling apart, he couldn’t compete the way he used to, he didn’t want to coast to the finish line – all the stuff that athletes say when they know the end of their careers are inevitable. But listening to the two of them talk about their plans for the future was inspiring. They sounded excited about this next chapter in their lives. Granted, it’s easier to be excited about moving on when you’ve already made a boatload of money but still. Change is tough for anyone and when you’ve devoted your life to perfecting a single skill, it has to be even more daunting.
I’m not trying to put myself in the same sentence with Kim and Andy (well, actually, I guess I just did) but I know how they feel. Our life’s work comes to define us; it helps us feel confident; helps us feel good about our contribution to the planet. When it’s taken away, voluntarily or not, it’s a little scary.
But when you start to open up your mind to the world of possibilities, it can be downright exhilarating.
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