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The Brumbies’ 2012 turnaround and 2013 grand final run taught me a key lesson: success isn’t just about training hard. It’s about prioritising the things that give you the energy to train hard. Nutrition, sleep, and a team-wide commitment to these were the foundation of our success and this remains the most valuable lesson from my time in sport.

The All Blacks’ journey from “chokers” to champions is a masterclass in overcoming mental barriers. After a crushing 2007 quarter-final loss to France, they finally faced their struggles head-on. Led by Richie McCaw, they brought in a mental skills coach to teach players how to manage stress. The result? Back-to-back World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015—a testament to mastering pressure when it matters most.

Peak performance depends on both physical and mental health. I share research and strategies showing how investing in well-being drives long-term success. Drawing from my own journey, I explain how understanding and regulating my nervous system has been key to improving mental health and performance.

Tying your whole identity to your work can be dangerous. I learned this after losing to the British and Irish Lions in 2013. As “Ben the Rugby Player,” winning felt great, but losing was devastating because my entire sense of self was tied to my job. It was a painful but valuable lesson in understanding how deeply our identity shapes our performance.

Burning out from pushing myself too hard has been a painful but powerful teacher. It’s shown me my limits, forced me develop an early detection system, and taught me how to stay productive, without pushing myself over the edge.

Running for Resilience has taught me that resilience is not an individual character trait, but a collective mindset. When someone is labelled “unresilient”, the real question is “What connections are they missing?” and I’ve learned that true resilience comes from “the strength we draw from others”. Not trudging on at all costs.