ASH BARTY – IS DESIGNING HER OWN GOOD – LIFE – SERVANT LEADERSHIP WITH INTEGRITY HUMILITY CONFIDENCE LOYALTY

The news of Ash Barty’s retirement would have sent shock waves throughout the world. Especially in Australia where we have been bereft of top-ranking tennis players for decades.

It was unusual for an athlete so young and with much more success to be expected over the next 5 years – to just STOP! HANG up the racquet! And walk away to new challenges and adventures.

However, to this point in time, this decision is the reason for her success and why she captivates so many of us. It is the way she has lived, spoken and played over this short period.

She has shown her tenacity, her guile, her determination, her loyalty to her family and team – in all situations.  

I have chosen some traits that I believe set her apart from almost all public figures – especially Australia.

1. INTERGRITY
   1. Integrity goes to the very heart of who we each are. It is the very basis of Character:
   1. “Character is doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do whether the whole world is watching or no one ever knows” Colin Pearce
   1. Integrity is Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk in all situations and parts of your life. It is being HONEST to yourself and others and not pretending to be anyone else – to fit group you are with.
   1. INTEGRITY is peace of mind knowing that – except for extremely private thoughts – you do not have to pretend to be one person in public and a different one at home.
   1. INTEGRITY is CONFIDENCE in facing the day-to-day challenges and successes and the relationships they produce – with the certainty of knowing who you are, where you are going and how to navigate LIFE.
2. HUMILITY
   1. It is understood in our present toxic culture that Humility is a form of enslavement. Of allowing others to dictate your life.
   1. Today we are bombarded with “Think of yourself more and do what you want and when you want – not considering others”
   1. However, HUMILTY is NOT thinking about ourselves LESS – HUMILITY is not thinking about others MORE”
   1. To be able to think about others MORE by being kind, generous, interested in them – you do have to be HUMBLE so as to relate to others.
   1. No one Character Value works on its own – they all interlock and relate to each other.
3. CONFIDENCE
   1. Confidence is a KEY FACTOR in Leadership and Designing your Own Good Life.
   1. Confidence goes with Integrity because when you know who you are and where you are going – there is CERTAINTY and DECEIVENESS., MEANING and PURPOSE – in your life
   1. One of the biggest reasons for a toxic culture is INDECISION and INACTION. So many people have no clue who they are, what their Purpose and Meaning in Life are and consequently take little ACTION to improve themselves.
   1. A CONFIDENT person acknowledges the HERO inside, takes responsibility for choices made and accepts accountability for the results.
   1. A person who is NOT CONFIDENT – misses the HERO inside and heads towards a VICTIM/ENTITELEMENT mentality. And goes down the path of Blaming others, denying words and actions or simply making Excuses.
4. LOYALTY
   1. Loyalty is acknowledging you are part of a family, a team, a group, a community.
   1. It is making commitments and promises and keeping them to the very best of your ability.
   1. Loyalty is acknowledging that my action to do or not do, to attend or not, to simply stay away because I don’t feel like it – has COMSEQUENCES to others and most likely puts undue stress on them.
   1. Again, LOYALTY is linked to HUMILITY – thinking of others MORE.

I do not think there is any doubt that ASH BARTY – to this point in time – has displayed all these Character Values – consistently, courageously, modestly and sincerely.

The ASH we see is the ASH we get – whether on the back porch of her home or holding the Australian Open Women’s Championship trophy.

In essence she has shown Servant Leadership throughout her public life. She continually refers to her team and family as – “WE” – in all her interviews.

This remains a shining example of the power of Character, of Virtue, of Trust, of sharing and working together to make all people stronger and better that they were before.

Three Grand Slams (on three different surfaces), a reputation of SERVICE and a Legacy of Integrity, Loyalty, Humility and Confidence – says it all.

ASH is Designing her own Good Life and keeping in the balance its 7 main Elements:

1. Leadership
2. Family
3. Fun
4. Finance
5. Spiritual
6. Physical Health
7. Emotional Health

We have seen so many people win awards or high-ranking positions behave so completely opposite to ASH. They cause division, depression, deceit, dishonesty, fear to themselves and many others.

They have publicly derided others because their demands were not delivered – by someone else. They believed they were ENTITLED to there demands.

Had they approached their needs and desires from the mindset of Character and Servant Leadership – they would have achieved their desired outcome and the community culture would not be so toxic.

However, they choose the opposite and achieved the very result they were fighting to fix,

How easy it would be if more people took more notice of ASH BARTY – the person and how she has Designed her Own Good Life.