When Jonny Wilkinson reached the pinnacle of sporting success, the England Rugby World Cup, he should have been on cloud nine. But for Jonny, he had never felt worse. Plagued by depression, the pressure of success, his reputation and other people's expectations weighed heavily on his shoulders, causing him to retreat into himself. Though Jonny knew that he was living the dream, he quickly learnt that no amount of trophies could plug the hole in his heart.
Caught in a loop of misery, for Jonny, there was seemingly no way out. But he wasn't ready to give up yet. Jonny turned his life around, he reached out, found someone to talk to and, for the first time in years, he started to heal. Now, Jonny uses this experience to inspire self-acceptance in other people. As a mental health speaker, his heartfelt account of his story out the dark place he was trapped in serves as an example to others - a brighter future is just around the corner.
Born in Surrey, Jonny chose to pursue his rugby career than study a the University of Durham - a decision that well and truly paid off. He started playing for the Newcastle School of Rugby in 1998, during which he Rugby World Cup debuted for England against Italy, at the 1999 Wales Rugby World Cup. In 2001, with Jonny as a member of the squad, England won the Six Nations Championship. Later victories for Jonny include the 2003 Sydney Rugby World Cup, when he scored the winning drop goal. In celebration of Jonny's commitment to sport, he was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016.
Jonny went on to publish a number of candid autobiographies, including Jonny: My Autobiography and Lions and Falcons: My Diary of a Remarkable Year. He has recently founded a mental health campaign in collaboration with Vitality, a health insurer, in response to the mental health crisis in rugby. His campaign focuses on the Buddhist practice of living consciously, rather than reactively, which Jonny believes to be the key to a happy life. As a mental health speaker, Jonny explores first hand the strategies that helped him recover from his depression. He is a truly inspiring speaker.
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