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.
Tell me about your first coaching experience.
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.
We hear a lot about mental toughness. Are you born with it?
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.
What does mental toughness mean to you?
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.
You work people hard. Have you ever pushed people too much?
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.
How do you tell someone they’re not good enough for the team?
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.
What advice do you have for a young person?
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.
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.
Tell me about your first coaching experience.
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.
We hear a lot about mental toughness. Are you born with it?
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.
What does mental toughness mean to you?
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.
You work people hard. Have you ever pushed people too much?
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.
How do you tell someone they’re not good enough for the team?
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.
What advice do you have for a young person?
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.