Blog

I've been asked the question: how do you pass on the requirement?

This question immediately brings me back to my childhood, where the discipline was largely passed on at home, and the desire to make a living from my passion inevitably led me there. Excellence is something rare and much sought-after. Part of my mental performance coaching revolves around this. I share with you my experience and my vision of what is required.

Individual dedication is the key to achieving excellence in all aspects of life. This quality is built up over time through repetition of the same actions, which eventually become natural. Applying this rigor to all daily actions enables us to achieve a rare level of excellence.

I remember that when I was a child, my mother always put everything in its place. In the fridge, each product had its own family and was stored in its own compartment: dairy products with dairy products, proteins with proteins, and so on. What struck me was how demanding she was of us in every aspect of life. If you have to do something, do it as well as you can.

From a very early age, my brother and sister and I had to organize and discipline our household chores, and above all do them properly. The organization consisted in determining a week for each of us. Discipline meant doing them before planning any activity, and if the job wasn't done properly, we had to start again. These little tasks taught us a lot more than just organization, discipline and rigor. We also had rules for homework, screen time, things we were allowed to eat or not, things we were allowed to look at or not, and a lot of respect values taught. All of this was done with precision, combined with moments of sharing, fun, seriousness, relaxation and lots of love.

Reflecting on my evolution, I realize that I haven't maintained this discipline. Who we associate with has a considerable impact on our behavior. The external environment, the friends we choose, accompanied by this concern to belong to a group that accompanies adolescence, may have encouraged me to adopt the majority stance, which was laxity, lack of rigor and discipline. Bad habits are contagious and, over time, can attack and accompany all other actions in life. I was starting to perform less well in various areas, particularly rugby.

In 2002, I was playing for Stade Français Paris, and was lucky enough to be a professional. The following year, I found myself without a club, moving from the first professional division to the fourth amateur division. I hadn't realized that my status was that of a privileged person, to be a professional at 20 and live off my passion. When I realized that I was about to let my dream slip away, I rediscovered the discipline that my parents had taught me so well. Unconsciously, I reintroduced this rigor slowly and naturally into the different aspects of my life. I worked my way back up, year after year, to find myself back in the first division (Top 14) and never to leave.

As I write this, I realize that there is no such thing as chance. Subsequently, I've never taken a victory or success for granted. Some might say that's sick, but there's no better lesson in the humility that comes from disappointment.

Transmitting demands is first and foremost difficult for the person transmitting them. Saying no, punishing, depriving, asking to start again, etc., is not a pleasant thing to do for oneself, and even less so for others and the people we love. You have to accept being the unloved one. I understand that it's difficult to accept and understand something you haven't experienced. It would be so easy if we had the wisdom to listen and learn from others. Quality things are often highly prized and few people succeed in obtaining them.

Experiencing something is much easier to transmit. Feel the different emotions and sensations that accompany and lead to action. Having the experience doesn't mean that the transmission will necessarily be of high quality. Knowing how to do, knowing how to be and knowing how to transmit are really three quite distinct things. It's important to remember that transmitting the requirement is an ongoing process that requires patience, perseverance and benevolence.

Demanding means learning from your mistakes, striving to keep progressing, and setting achievable goals.
In short, individual demand is a key factor in achieving excellence, but it's important to keep a healthy perspective and not put too much pressure on yourself. By working on yourself and striving to improve every day, you can reach new heights.

It's important not to confuse high standards with perfectionism, which is often counterproductive. Doing one's best, hard work, rigor, the discipline we frequently impose on ourselves, for a unique and rare reward.

This thing, which will illuminate the person by everything it exudes, tasting the fruits of success, recognition and all that this brings. The pleasure, the joy, that feeling of counting, of being useful, of being an actor, of being alive, of being the star in the crowd. A rare and unique taste that blends countless emotions in a short space of time. Isn't this the exceptional feeling that comes from being rewarded for one's efforts and sacrifices?

Nothing in life can really be taken for granted, so take each new day as a new challenge.