The All Blacks' Secret: Why Performance Needs Care

⚠️ *Please note: this conversation talks about depression and mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, free help is available through Lifeline - call 0508 TAUTOKO, that's 0508 828 865.* Sir John Kirwan is one of New Zealand's greatest All Blacks — but, while he lived the life of a champion, his mental health suffered. He's since become one of the country's greatest wellbeing advocates - speaking openly about his own depression, the night on tour when he wanted to jump out of a window, and rebuilding his entire life from scratch. In this conversation with Kaila Colbin, JK talks about what depression actually felt like from the inside, why he had to treat himself like he was dead before he could start again, and the system he built - and now teaches - to make sure he never goes back there. This isn't a rugby episode - though there are some great stories. It's a conversation about what it takes to perform at the highest level of anything - and why care isn't the soft option. **In this episode:** - Why JK says balance is bullsh\*t - and what to do instead - The night he wanted to end his life, and what his mum said that changed everything - How he put his life into boxes and rebuilt it from the ground up - The All Blacks' performance-care philosophy - and why he believes it's why they finally won the World Cup in 2011 - The six daily pillars he uses to protect his mental health - Why the care conversation and the performance conversation are the same conversation - What a Catholic priest told him before his wedding that became some of the best advice he's ever received - Why the badge of honour around working yourself to exhaustion is destroying people - The "to-done" list - and why it matters more than your to-do list - What it means to manage your imbalance instead of chasing balance 📚 JK's Books *All Blacks Don't Cry: A Story of Hope* - https://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/All-Blacks-Dont-Cry-John-Kirwan/9781776950492 *Stand By Me: Helping Your Teen Through Tough Times* - https://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Stand-By-Me-John-Kirwan/9780143570639 – A huge thanks to Celebrity Speakers for supporting this episode. If you want to book Sir John Kirwan for a keynote and leave your audience hungry for more, visit celebrityspeakers.co.nz. Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders. The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read. You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team. The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience. It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.  Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.