Final Fear

Why I’m finally sharing my goal and why it scares me

Been working through my fears lately and realised there’s only one fear left that’s holding me back.

And that’s the fear of being seen as a grandiose wanker.

I’ve talked about energy for years. I’ve helped people and teams recharge. And I’ve watched communities like Running for Resilience grow into something far beyond what I imagined.

But I’ve never said my own goal out loud. Because I’m scared.

It feels ridiculous even typing it. Like I’m about to cross a line that suddenly makes me delusional.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned recently, it’s that speaking a goal out loud makes it real and increases the chances it will happen.

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When I retired from rugby, I think people assumed I’d miss the fame or the competition. And perhaps I did for a bit.

But what I miss most was the feeling of being part of a thriving team, like the 2012-13 Brumbies.

There’s just nothing like it.

The trust. The connection. The beers in the changing room after a tough win.

And most importantly, the challenging of each other to be better for the collective good.

I believe it’s the best feeling in life, whether it’s a team, a family, or a community.

And since leaving sport, I’ve been trying to replace excitement with meaning. And that’s where my goal comes in:

To help every team thrive by 2035.

Thriving isn’t luck.

It’s requires leadership. And I think it’s a state of high energy that comes from living in alignment with what you want, and our biology.

And it’s something we can design for.

I’ve seen what happens when people come together around a shared goal. When Breeny had the courage to say Running for Resilience’s 10-year goal out loud (a suicide free Canberra by 2033).

It sounded crazy at first, and we got some critcism.

But it’s rallied so many people (and other charities) around it, as we continue to make great progress towards it.

And more keep coming out of the woodwork every week.

That’s why I need to say mine. Out loud. And get over the fear you’ll think I’m a dickhead.

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A Plan

So how do we actually make this happen?

I think helping every team thrive starts with helping workplaces to stop burning people out.

Running for Resilience is doing a great job helping people recharge outside of work, (and we’re soon expanding beyond the ACT).

But we need more than that, and we won’t have thriving work communities if our leaders keep managing effort and outcomes, instead of systems and energy.

So that’s where I’m starting: building systems that help any leader recharge their team and create environments where people can perform at their best, without sacrificing their wellbeing.

I’ve started that with my talks. But I’m unsure about what’s next.

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I know this all sounds big. It is big. But that’s the point. And maybe you will think I’m a wanker regardless.

But I’d rather be called that than stay quiet about a mission that I think might actually help people thrive.

So that’s it. I’m over my final fear and saying my goal out loud again:

My mission is to help every team thrive by 2035.