Mistakes ‘all part of life’ says Eddie McGuire

Eddie McGuire says social media and societal pressure are creating unrealistic expectations for young people, as he backs a campaign to combat rising men’s suicide.

Eddie McGuire says young adults should be allowed to make mistakes and has called for more “gentleness, giving and loving” amid increased concerns about mental health issues.

McGuire, promoting a Triple M campaign to arrest the prevalence of men’s suicide, said his roles as Collingwood Football Club president, and a broadcaster on a station with a predominantly male audience, brought awareness of issues confronting young people.

McGuire and wife Carla have two sons, aged 18 and 16.

“I think we have to tell young people you can make a mistake, that you’re allowed to get it wrong,” McGuire told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“With media and social media, if you make a mistake, it’s unrelenting.

“Every player who does something wrong in football has to be suspended, smashed, crushed.

“Then it’s ‘sack the coach’ ‘the president’s an idiot’ and ‘Gill McLachlan is no good’.

“We should calm down. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“There is no effort without error. You don’t need to be making mistakes all the time, but at the same time we need to be able to let people off the hook.”

Eddie McGuire has called for a bit more kindness in a bid to help cut down on mental health issues in the community. Picture: AAP Image/Stefan Postles

McGuire said social media and societal pressure was exacerbating unrealistic expectations. “There is constant pressure on having the perfect life or being the ultimate winner,” he said. “It doesn’t happen that way.”

“As far as we know, there has been one person without sin, and they put him on a cross

“We need to talk about things, and be open about failures as well as successes. W live in a strong and competitive world of sport and media, and there’s a scoreboard every time you go out to do something, whether its ratings, or an actual scoreboard.

“But I believe we need to celebrate a bit more gentlessness in people, a bit more giving, and a bit more loving.”

McGuire said that sense of calm determination has been a common link in recent Bulldogs, Tigers and Magpies success stories. He had the same discussion with Australian cricket team coach, Justin Langer, in London last week.

“Trying to find a calmness doesn’t mean we’re not aggressive, doesn’t mean we’re not competitive, doesn’t mean we’re not tactical,” McGuire said.

“But there’s an inner calmness we need to find so we’re not red-lining all the time.”

MORE: MALE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

SUICIDE IS EVERYONE’S PROBLEM

NEW FIGURES ON MEN’S SUICIDE

On Monday, between 6am and 6pm, Triple M will have no radio shows, ads, news or traffic reports.

It will use that airtime to encourage men and women to talk to their mates, family or colleagues about men’s suicide.

According to Beyond Blue, 65,000 people will attempt suicide in Australia this year.

Eight will die every day and six of them will be men.

“The macho nature of Australians, the strong silent types, goes back to the First World War, and we haven’t dug any deeper,” McGuire said.

“That’s 100 years of a culture not talking, and internalising things.”

McGuire hopes the Triple M campaign encourages people to talk to, and listen to each other.

“If it can change a mindset and use it as a foundation to build upon, it will be worthwhile.”

If you need help, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.