15/04/2026
Today we celebrate The GOAT of all GOATS: An Inspiration for me and for many. #42
In the world of sports, we throw the term "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) around loosely. We point to Michael Jordan’s six rings. But Jordan was a GOAT of basketball; Jackie Robinson was the GOAT of humanity within the arena of sport. For Australian readers that didn’t grow up with the narrative of the “colour line,” the magnitude of his impact is often missed.
The Loneliest Man in the Arena
In 1947, when Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field, he was the only African American player in the entire Major Leagues (MLB).
He faced a wall of systemic vitriol with nothing but courage and resilience. He didn’t just break a segregation line; he challenged the moral conscience of a superpower.
Every year on April 15, MLB honours this by having every single player wear number 42.
Individual identities vanish so we can remember the one man who stood for everyone.
The Reality of Purpose
This resonates with me because of a wild parallel in my own life. Baseball has been my passion since I was 3 years old. By some twist of fate (not superstitious at all) at exactly 42 years of age, I served as player-coach for the Malvern Braves as we won the Baseball Victoria Premiership. But its way more than that, I have spent my entire career, never giving up on purpose being the epicentre of my choices.
I might also mention that my long time Mr. Miyagi (my Mentor), was born in 1942. #42
The Hard Truth
Jackie’s legacy is often romanticised, but it was incredibly difficult. Similarly, purpose-driven leadership asks a real price. The questioning that comes from paying that price is what leads you back to what matters: In our business, we have come back to centre, to our truth, that Performance Architecture centred around people, customers, and partners is the only way to create true Agency. Purpose only works if it truly moves people and drives measurable outcomes.
What Business Leaders Can Learn from 42.
Jackie Robinson didn't just break a barrier — he operated inside a system designed to break him, and he performed anyway. The rules applied differently depending on who you were. That's not just a civil rights story. That's a masterclass in leadership under asymmetric pressure.
For today’s business leaders, Robinson’s legacy offers three things worth sitting with.
First, courage without strategy is just sacrifice. Robinson succeeded because Branch Rickey (The Owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers) had a plan — and Robinson had the discipline to execute it even when every instinct said to fight back. The lesson: purpose needs architecture. Conviction alone doesn’t build anything that lasts.
Second, the people around you determine what’s possible. Robinson didn’t integrate baseball alone. He needed teammates willing to stand with him, an owner willing to absorb the backlash, and a community willing to show up. In business, the leaders who create lasting change understand that Agency — real Agency — is never a solo act. It’s built through the deliberate cultivation of people, customers, and partners who are aligned around something bigger than a transaction.
Third, and perhaps most confronting: legacy is measured by what you make possible for others, not what you achieve for yourself. Robinson’s number is retired across every team in the Major Leagues — not because of his batting average, but because of what the game became after he walked through the door. The question every leader should ask isn’t “what have I built?” but “what did I make possible?”
That’s the real business case for purpose. Not charity. Not branding. Transformation that outlasts you.
A Living Legacy
This is exactly what the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) does today. With a 98% graduation rate, they don’t just provide scholarships; they provide a “42 Strategies for Success” curriculum. To me Robinson's legacy feels even bigger when the program is not just advocating for one group, or one race or colour, but opening doors for anyone who faces structural disadvantage. They turn purpose into performance.
Success requires courage, but it’s worthless without meaning. Whether on the sporting field or in Business, when working with us and the philosophy of The Art of More, the goal remains the same: What courage are you showing up with and against what conviction and outcome? And with this;
What are you making possible for others, so that they can thrive and grow, so that they can move from compliance to contribution, through their own discretionary efforts ?
Happy Jackie Robinson Day ⚾
#42
