Each week for the next few weeks, we will be profiling a member of the Dunstan Manukura and sharing their assembly message with our school community. At our last assembly on the 11th March we heard from our Deputy Head Girl for 2026, Heidi Winter.

When Michael Jordan was in high school, he was cut from his basketball team.

Imagine that — someone who would go on to become one of the greatest athletes in history being told he wasn’t good enough. Most people might have given up. But Michael Jordan used that moment as motivation to work harder.

Later, he said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

The setbacks, the pressure, the uncomfortable moments — they weren’t things to avoid. They were part of the process that made him successful. And the truth is, that’s something we all face. Pain, discomfort, fear — they’re part of life, but they don’t have to control us. In fact, they can often be illusions, things we imagine are bigger or more inhibiting than they really are.

Last week, the Manakura had the opportunity to attend the GRIP leadership conference in Gore. One idea that really stood out to me was that leaders are often busy people. But being busy doesn’t mean being overwhelmed or constantly stressed. It means that even when life is full, we can almost always find time for the things that matter most.

I know that’s something many of us struggle with. School is busy. There are assignments, sports, practices, jobs, and commitments outside of school. It can be easy to look at an opportunity and think, “I just don’t have time or ability for that.”

But often, the things that stretch us — the challenges that ask more of us — are the very things that give us the most meaning. Helping someone else, being part of a team, trying something new, stepping into a leadership role — these are the experiences that shape us.

Being busy with things that matter isn’t the problem.  It’s a sign that we are taking advantage of opportunities that count.

I’ve been thinking about this idea in another context recently. Some of you might know that I do ice swimming. If you’ve never tried it, stepping into freezing water is a shock. Every part of your body screams at you — it’s too cold, it hurts, and your first instinct is to get out immediately.

But if you actually want to swim, you have to quiet that voice in your head and just jump in. The moment you hit the water, your body throbs and stings, your muscles tense, and when you push off the wall, it feels like needles are shooting up your legs.

It’s intense, uncomfortable, even painful — yet, once you start moving, the sharpness becomes more manageable. You realise that the fear and pain you imagined weren’t as powerful as you thought. 

Life can be like that. Whether it’s pushing through a tough training session, speaking in front of people, tackling something new, or taking on extra responsibility, the hardest part is usually just starting. The discomfort is real, but it’s not insurmountable. The fear is real, but it’s not permanent. The pain is real, but it can be mastered.

Recently, I was talking with some of the Year 10 boys on camp about what I should speak about in this assembly. They suggested I talk about how “pain is an illusion.” At first, it sounded random and arguable — but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

The things that feel uncomfortable — the busy schedules, the challenges, the moments that push us outside our comfort zone — are often the moments that help us grow. What we perceive as stopping us is often exactly what shapes us to be the best we can be.

So the message I want to leave with you this morning is this:

Don’t let being busy or the fear of discomfort stop you from taking opportunities that matter. Lean into the challenge. Step into the cold water, so to speak. Because the moments that feel hardest at first often turn out to be the most rewarding, and the pain you feared may have been an illusion all along.

Thank you.