{"id":18310,"date":"2026-04-22T12:26:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T10:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wu.ac.at\/?p=18310"},"modified":"2026-04-22T15:18:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:18:23","slug":"what-happens-if-your-career-is-already-over-by-the-time-youre-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wu.ac.at\/en\/2026\/04\/what-happens-if-your-career-is-already-over-by-the-time-youre-23\/","title":{"rendered":"What happens if your career is already over by the time you’re 23?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The \u201cWU matters. WU talks.\u201d event series brings together experts to discuss topics that affect us all.<\/em><\/p>\n

Petra Kronberger, former Olympic ski champion; Lukas M\u00e4hr, former Olympic sailing champion; Gerti Schatzdorfer, former industrial entrepreneur; and Paul Senger-Weiss, a long-time family business owner, discussed <\/i>in the latest edition<\/i> the question of what comes after an intense career.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will be left of me then?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Every career comes to an end eventually. Whether in sports or in leadership roles. And then what? The end of a career presents many people with an important question: Who am I when the role that has shaped my life for so long is no longer there? \u201cWhat will be left of me then?\u201d asks Petra Kronberger,<\/b> two-time Olympic champion and world champion. These questions came up again and again during this WU matters. WU talks.<\/i> The answers? As varied as the guests\u2019 life stories.<\/p>\n

Many people know the experience of being reduced to their own career\u2014and the audience wasn\u2019t silent on this point either. This was also true for Petra Kronberger, whose career ended at the age of 23 following her 1992 Olympic victory\u2014an age at which life is just beginning for many. What seems almost incomprehensible to some was a perfectly logical decision for her. But what happens after such a defining success? Can one build a second life and receive the same recognition for it as for the first major career?<\/p>\n

Last Wednesday, the discussion wasn\u2019t just about abstract concepts regarding the end of a career, but about sharing real-life experiences. Doubt, pressure, and letting go affect everyone, no matter where you are in life. Lukas M\u00e4hr<\/b>, who ended his career after his 2024 Olympic victory, summed it up with an honest statement: \u201cI find it much easier not to stop than to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe [\u2026] think in terms of generations\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is evident in family-owned businesses as well. Paul Senger-Weiss<\/b> put it this way: \u201cWe calculate by the quarter, but think in terms of generations.\u201d In this context, the end of a career doesn\u2019t just mean saying goodbye, but also handing over the reins. However, the younger generation should also be given space. \u201cThe younger generation finds itself in a situation that isn\u2019t easy, because they\u2019re constantly being compared,\u201d emphasizes Gerti Schatzdorfer<\/b>. Compared to a team that has known their predecessors for decades and shares a common history.<\/p>\n

Curious?<\/h2>\n

Just come to the next event and join the conversation!<\/p>\n

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0G0A1181_20260415_WU matters_Karriere-Ende - und was dann<\/span>Begr\u00fc\u00dfung durch Vizerektorin Bernadette Kamleitner<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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0G0A1410_20260415_WU matters_Karriere-Ende - und was dann<\/span>Am Panel: Petra Kronberger, Lukas M\u00e4hr, Gerti Schatzdorfer und Paul Senger-Weiss<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The next WU matters. WU talks.<\/em>: It\u2019s Time to Rethink Work<\/h2>\n

Organized by the WU Center of Excellence<\/i>, experts will discuss what young professionals can expect in the future. After all, AI and new technologies could pose a threat even to the most experienced professionals. This raises the question: What skill set is needed to succeed professionally and actively shape the future of the economy and society?<\/p>\n