Quote

Beliefs and internal convictions are more powerful than physical strength.
- Dele Ola

Real Life

From a young age, Fijian, Jerry Tuwai, loved 7s rugby and had a natural flair for it.

He had speed and agility and with ball in hand could beat almost anyone. However, when he didn’t have ball in hand, he was seen to have a low work rate and poor fitness. The national coach at the time, Ben Ryan, described him as “dreadfully unfit”, making it clear to Tuwai that he needed to work on this. However, Tuwai, could not accept the importance of fitness and either didn’t turn up to training or hid in the bushes to avoid drills.

Ryan persisted with Tuwai and in time, the training and education Tuwai received regarding fitness, nutrition, rest and mental strength started to have an impact. Tuwai began to understand that these things were essential if he was to succeed at an international level.

Tuwai is now known not only for his speed and agility, but also for his work rate and impact defensively. He has been named World Rugby 7s player of the year (2019) and World Rugby 7s player of the decade. No one would question his work rate or fitness now. So what brought about the change?

The change in Tuwai’s behaviour came from a change in his beliefs. When he believed training and fitness had little benefit to his game, he neglected them. But when he came to believe in their value, he invested in them.

What we believe impacts how we behave. The bible talks about having our minds transformed and renewed by God’s Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2). There are times when we need to challenge our thinking. We may have attitudes, mindsets or beliefs that are not good, and until we change them we will not move forward. As Proverbs says, what comes from our hearts impacts our lives (Proverbs 4:23). Tuwai allowed himself to learn a different way and it enabled him to reach great heights. This is a reminder that we shouldn’t hold onto beliefs that might limit our potential.

Bible Verse

Be careful what you think, because yourthoughts run your life.
Proverbs 4:23

Prayer

Lord thank You that we always have the potential to change and grow. Lord please show me if there are any mindsets or beliefs I hold onto that are not helpful. Help me to hear Your guidance in challenging these.

Author: Sarah Auld   |   Content Editor: Phil Pawley