Exclusive Insight: In this engaging series by nine.com.au, we delve into the minds of Australia’s most innovative entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs. Our goal is to uncover what drives them and to share their valuable advice for those just starting their journey.

Grant Hackett was only 20 years old when he clinched his first Olympic gold medal in Sydney.

Over his illustrious swimming career, he added another gold, along with three silver and two bronze medals. After retiring from competitive swimming in 2008, Hackett transitioned from the pool to the boardroom, immersing himself in the world of finance.

If you could speak to your 20-year-old self, what advice would you give?

There are a few things I might keep to myself!

However, I would advise that during times of success, when everything feels perfect and victorious, remember that such moments are fleeting. Embrace and cherish them, but be aware that change is inevitable.

And it’s true for the opposite; when it hits the fan and things go really, really bad, and you feel like you’re getting nowhere in life, and you’ve hit rock bottom … it’s never that bad. There’s always an opportunity, and you can always get back to where you want to be if you’re willing to do the work.

I think if I could tell 20-year-old self that I would have saved myself years of anxiety and ups and downs. But my 20 year-old-self thought he knew everything.

It’s so funny, I remember I said my 20s that nothing could go wrong. Everything went right, I felt like life was easy. My 30s were the exact opposite – divorce, missing my kids, bad publicity. And then my 40s are when you actually start to get life … it’s a really nice stage of life.