If you’re looking for some Monday Motivation, Springbok and Lions wing Courtnall Skosan has you covered.
‘What is your why?
‘This is a question I asked myself for a long time until I figured it out. I don’t play this game for wins and losses. I don’t play this game for fame and recognition. I don’t play this game to find my identity in it, or to feel important.
‘The reason I play this game is to glorify God and build a legacy for my family that will last for generations to come.
‘Once you find out why it is you are doing what you are doing, the tough times become bearable, because you know how much it’s worth. If it’s just about the money, the fame, or the self-importance and arrogance in your pursuit, then what happens once you get what you always wanted?
‘What substance comes with that? It needs to be bigger than just yourself.
‘A wise man once told me that it is better to be significant than to be successful. Leaving a legacy has far greater worth than money in the bank or the number of followers on Instagram.
‘So, young people always ask me the question, “how can I become a professional rugby player?” To which my response is always: “Why do you want to become a professional rugby player?”
‘If you can answer that question, we can start a conversation. The answers are sometimes mind-boggling, but we all have our reasons why we want to do certain things in life.
‘Pursuing your goals and dreams will never be easy. That’s a guarantee. And what will keep you going and growing in whatever it is that you are doing, is your why.
‘If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to make it happen. Because it’s so much bigger than just yourself. There are lives that are dependent on what it is you are pursuing to achieve!’
*Skosan and his wife, Semone, recently started an apparel brand called ‘Always Look Up’. This particular phrase has been a part of Courtnall’s daily life for many years. He believes that no matter what happens in your life, you should acknowledge the fact that there is a higher power than yourself that you can turn to. Sometimes to say thank you, and other times to ask for guidance.
This is a daily reminder for any person, like you reading this right now, that we can look up even when it is difficult, and remember where our strength and blessings come from.
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
