Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable//
Eddie Jones was head coach of Japan’s national rugby team from 2012 to 2015.// Born in Australia to a Japanese-American mother, he taught for ten years at a school before coming to a Japanese university to coach rugby.//
Q1  Tell me about your first coaching experience.//
A1  I was coaching Japanese university kids.// The team wasn’t good, but it was a great learning experience for me.// They didn’t improve much, but I learned how to adjust in a new environment, how to be productive in a new culture.// And I learned about coaching.//
Q2  We hear a lot about mental toughness.// Are you born with it?//
A2  Everyone’s born with a degree of mental toughness, but it can also be learned.// A lot depends on your education and your parents.// Also, the team itself creates a high level of mental toughness.//
Q3  What does mental toughness mean to you?//
A3  Mental toughness is your ability to keep going in any situation, even if you’re physically or mentally tired.// High-level sport is uncomfortable.// We teach players to be comfortable being uncomfortable.//
Q4  You work people hard.// Have you ever pushed people too much?//
A4  Certainly.// I’ve made mistakes.// You have to learn how far you can push each player.// When I was young, I felt that everyone should have the same commitment I had.// But everyone has their own way of doing things.// Sometimes you’ve got to allow people to do it in their own way.//
Q5  How do you tell someone they’re not good enough for the team?//
A5  When you tell anyone something disappointing, whatever you say after you give them the bad news, they don’t hear.// So, conversations should be short.//
Q6  What advice do you have for a young person?//
A6  It’s not good to do just one thing.// Find time to study, meet new people, and broaden your outlook on life.// Learn to manage your time; if you want to be successful, learn to be good at time management.//