As we wrap up the first month of 2025, many of our New Year’s resolutions may have already fallen by the wayside. However, for those still holding on, I’d like to share two extraordinary stories from the world of sports that might offer a valuable lesson for 2025.
These stories reveal how, even at the height of their greatest successes, celebrated champions can feel a sense of emptiness … and what they can do about it.
Photo: Léna, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
In 2003, the English rugby player Johnny Wilkinson etched his name into rugby history. In the dying seconds of extra time at the Rugby World Cup final, with the weight of a nation on his shoulders, Wilkinson delivered a stunning dropkick goal that won England the championship. The English fans in the stadium and around the world went ballistic. A nation celebrated. Wilkinson became an icon overnight.
But behind the scenes, Wilkinson’s personal experience was strikingly different. The next morning, he sat alone in a hotel room, unsure of what to do with himself. Later on, he would reflect on this time and say, “When I was part of the World Cup-winning team I had never felt so empty as I did afterwards.” He was at the peak that he worked for so relentlessly, but immediately asked himself the question … What’s next?
The joy of his victory was overshadowed by an emptiness he had not anticipated. Instead of drinking in the triumph, Wilkinson was already thinking about how to live up to his newfound legend. He later admitted that his perfectionism and relentless focus on how to meet or exceed expectations robbed him of the ability to appreciate these precious days and weeks.
Fast-forward to 2012. The English cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins accomplished the impossible. He became the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France, a gruelling 21-day race that pushes competitors to their physical and mental limits. For most, this would be the pinnacle of a career.
But Wiggins wasn’t done. Ten days later, he cemented his legendary status by winning a gold medal at the “Home” Olympics in front of an electrified crowd, with an estimated 300,000 spectators lining the streets of London to witness the spectacle live. The scene was perfect … thousands cheering, millions watching on tv, cameras flashing, history being made.
In a recent podcast, Wiggins was asked how much his success had meant to him and, more importantly, how long he was able to enjoy it. His answer was bleak. Wiggins said he was only able to savour this triumph for exactly five minutes, until an interview right after the event. With visible sadness on his face, he remarked to the camera during that interview: “I will never be able to top this in my whole sporting career!”
Interestingly, the podcast host, Jake Humphrey, who had been with Wiggins in the London Olympic studio in 2012, recalled how calm and composed Bradley seemed during the interview, even choosing not to wear his medal. But the superstar explained on the podcast that he hadn’t worn the medal, because he felt, in his own words, “I was not worthy of it.”
It was heartbreaking to hear such a sentiment from Wiggins, especially after dedicating two full decades of his 32 year long life entirely to the pursuit of excellence and success in cycling.
Why am I sharing these two remarkable success stories?
Too often, we treat accomplishments as stepping stones, racing toward the next goal without stopping to celebrate. The danger of this mindset is clear. If we can’t acknowledge and savour our successes, they lose their power to fulfil us.
Starting a new year is usually a time for goal-setting and forward momentum. But I strongly believe it’s important, as we now go out and chase after our goals, to remind ourselves that even small successes are perfect opportunities to pause, reflect, and appreciate the achievement and offer gratitude. By doing this, we can create meaningful memories that stay with us, instead of rushing on to the next thing.
If Johnny Wilkinson and Bradley Wiggins, two of the greatest athletes in their fields, can struggle to appreciate their successes, it’s no wonder many of the rest of us do too.
But their stories also remind us of something crucial. The emptiness they felt wasn’t inevitable. It came from skipping a step. By pausing to celebrate, acknowledge, and embrace the moment, we can transform fleeting victories into lasting memories.
As 2025 unfolds, I believe it is important to remember that goals will always move forward, but success lives in the present. Give yourself permission to pause and enjoy even small successes when they happen.
Cheerio
Joerg
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