Be careful about being right against a pack that’s much stronger than you. You may have the knowledge and skill to stand your ground, but if you’re dealing with a pack mentality, you will lose. Be smart—choose your battles.

I saw this play out at an international rugby game at Ellis Park. The stadium rules forbid smoking in any form, yet a group nearby were discreetly lighting up. It wasn’t discreet at all—plumes of smoke accosted our senses.

My wife asked them, politely, to refrain. That simple request turned into a vicious racial attack on Henriette. It was deeply disappointing to see how quickly group mentality transformed the culprits into an attack team.

We see versions of this in daily life. The lesson is sad but real: even when you are right, you may still need to be sensible.

And yet, wisdom is not weakness. Choosing your battles does not mean surrendering your values—it means keeping your strength for the moments that truly matter. In that way, even when we walk away, we still win.