“Legendary moments are built on the courage to go again, not the perfection of getting it right first time.”
Hey Rollers,
In last week’s newsletter, we talked about the courage to step back into the arena, to face your next challenge even when the last one ended in disappointment.
This week, I want to take that idea one step further. I mean it’s easy to say, “Be courageous,” but how do we actually do that?
There’s a story that I think gives us some insight into the answer. A story you already know, but perhaps not in the way that matters most.
In the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final, with the weight of a nation on his shoulders, a 24-year-old Jonny Wilkinson attempted a drop goal late in the match.
He missed.
He tried again.
Missed.
And again.
Missed.
On the biggest stage the sport has to offer, this young phenom had three attempts and three misses.
Our selective memories tend to forget that part.
But then came extra time. England were exhausted, having endured an Australian comeback. And yet, when the next opportunity presented itself, Wilkinson positioned himself for a fourth attempt.
And he nailed it.
What fascinates me more than the kick, the one we’ve seen a thousand times in replays, is the three he missed before it.
That final kick wasn’t just about his skill.
It wasn’t only muscle memory or mechanics built from his ferocious appetite for practice.
It was mental fortitude in its purest form.
It was the willingness to act again, even when the evidence of the day suggested he shouldn’t, because the evidence from a lifetime suggested he should.
That’s Smart Toughness right there.
The idea that your next action lives independently from your last.
That a previous failure doesn’t land a punch on your future.
Success is built far less on perfect execution and far more on the quiet, consistent willingness to take the next shot (again, and again, and again) even when the last one didn’t land.
We don’t control the outcome of the next attempt.
But we absolutely control whether we take it.
Wilkinson lived that fully that famous day back in 2003.
And sometimes, that’s the whole difference.
Until next week.
Keep rolling.
Justin 👊
Take Action in 3 Minutes:
Think of an area where you’ve hesitated because the last attempt didn’t go your way.
Now ask yourself:
Knowing the next attempt lives independently from the last… what will I do?
Then take the next shot.