2-Minute Tips: 41# Being Better Than Before

It’s a frigid March morning just outside London. Jonny Wilkinson the star rugby player, is practicing his goalkicking. Seven injury strewn years have passed since Jonny kicked England to World Cup glory in 2003. 

Despite all the accolades and having only being named on the bench for tomorrow’s game, he’s still out there putting a shift in, working hard on technique and drills with kicking coach Dave Alred.

Jonny tackles this session like all the others – with maximum effort and laser like focus. Recently they’ve been forced to remodel Jonny’s kicking action, to remove any hyperextension after a severe knee injury.

Dave sets up an insanely difficult drill to finish, where Jonny kicks from just inside the touchline but only 5 yards out from the tryline. At this acute angle, from 30 yards out, you’ve got less than a one-yard gap to kick it through. 

Jonny takes 4 from the left touchline and 4 from the right. He makes 7 out of 8 and the one that misses hits the post! Dave calls it a sensational display.

The next day Jonny comes off the bench against France and immediately slots a 55-yard penalty from the halfway line, close to the touchline.

Fast forward a year to 2011, Jonny is finishing a taxing session with 45-yard drop goals off Dave’s passes. Jonny hits 10 out of 10. If that isn’t remarkable enough, he achieves this whilst alternating his kicking foot – left foot, right foot, left foot!

Dave thinks to himself 'Better than before, he really is better than before.'

Jonny epitomises the Japanese word ‘Kaisen’ or continuous improvement. He wants to get better every single session and leaves everything out there. Dave Alred calls it having a ‘No Limits Mindset’. 

Many players who come back from serious injuries, just want to return to something representing their former selves. Despite a nightmarish run of serious injuries, Jonny finishes his career in 2014 by captaining Toulon to back-to-back Heineken Cup’s -- the pinnacle of European club rugby. 

He truly was better than ever before.

WISDOM 💎

“The only thing that should matter, is you improving on your previous self.”

Dave Alred

Tip 1 - A SMART PLAY ✅

Adopting a No Limits Mindset, means that no matter how good you are, you can get better. It is an expansive, growth mindset that is both exhilarating and challenging.

Tip 2 - AVOID 🚩

Trying to be perfect. Jonny admitted that striving for perfection, took him to some very dark places, as he struggled with the pressure of expectation from others and himself. 

Ideally, we want to strive for improvement, but with an understanding that failure is a difficult, but crucial part of this process.

Tip 3 - ACTION 💪

Write down any important areas in your life where you sense you’re going through the motions? How might you track and instil performance improvements in these fields?

P.S. Check out Dave Alred's awesome book on practicing to handle pressure - 'The Pressure Principle'