Richie McCaw.
The first All Black to 100 tests.
He captained the All Blacks in 110 out of his 148 test matches.
He won two Rugby World Cups.
He is the most capped test rugby player of all time and has won the World Rugby player of the year award a joint record three times.
But he wasn’t the fastest.
He didn’t have lightning reflexes.
He wasn’t the biggest on the field.
In rugby terms he was physically average.
But he will go down as the greatest of all time.
Because he had the right ingredients.
He was a leader who would inspire everyone around him.
He was tough and would play no matter what condition his body was in.
He was consistent – he played for Canterbury, The Crusaders and the All Blacks – he didn’t constantly change teams or chase overseas contracts.
In so many areas of life we judge what we see rather than the substance. We see the shiny objects but miss the essence.
To build a track record and leave a legacy requires dedication and a little bit of pain.
It’s not for everyone.
But anyone can do it. You have to want it.
Do you?
