RTÉ's Jacqui Hurley on the parenting method that changed her life

Jacqui Hurley firmly believes she would not have the success she has today, if it wasn't for her parents' very specific parenting style. The RTE sports broadcaster is at the top of her game when it comes to sports broadcasting in Ireland, which is no mean feat, and something she admits she once didn't believe was possible. Meanwhile, her sister has just become a captain for British airways, and Jacqui credits much of her success to her parents, who encouraged her and her siblings to dream big and, more importantly, never told them something was out of reach. That attitude has stayed with Jacqui throughout her own career, and now, as a mum herself, she's teaching her own children, Luke, 12, and Lily, 9, to 'go for everything' 'We were never told 'no',' Jacqui says of growing up. 'And I don't mean that we were spoiled, but our parents always said, 'You want to do that? Go for it, I think you'd be great at that", she told RSVP Magazine. Sharing how her parents also made her sister's dream come true, she revealed; "My sister was obsessed with planes from when she was three years old, and my dad used to take her to watch them landing and taking off at Cork." Her dream eventually became a reality, despite the huge financial commitment involved in becoming a pilot. View 3 Images Jacqui Hurley for RSVP Magazine "It obviously costs a lot of money to become a pilot. They had to take multiple loans to send her to South Africa first and then to Oxford, and only this week, she's just become a captain for British Airways." 'We couldn't be prouder of what she's managed to do with her career. She played basketball with the Irish team when we were younger, and I've always admired how she challenged herself.' For Jacqui, that willingness to take risks was something she saw in her parents too. 'My parents worked our whole lives, upped and moved sticks across the world to Australia with three small children.' 'When your parents are willing to take those risks and challenges in their own lives, they can only push you to do the same.' When Jacqui told her parents she wanted to become a TV presenter, she revealed their reaction was not to question whether it was realistic, but rather how they could make it happen. 'So, when I said, 'I want to be a TV presenter,' they said, 'You'd be great at that, how do we make this happen.'' One of the first big decisions came while she was in college. Jacqui had been offered an internship with InStyle magazine in New York, which might have seemed like the obvious route. But instead, she chose an opportunity at a small-market TV station in Columbus, Mississippi. 'I was going to take that, but I felt I'd end up making tea and not really learning a lot.' Her dad encouraged her to take the television opportunity instead. 'He said it was a great opportunity where I'd learn loads.' 'I came back and I could run autocue, I knew how to do scripts, I had presented. The opportunity I got by not following the projected route, it took me way out of my comfort zone.' Looking back, Jacqui believes the decision was part of a much bigger lesson she had learned from her parents. 'It was a lifetime of my parents doing the same thing and showing us that that was the way. I really think they're probably the reason I have my career.' That same philosophy is something Jacqui wants to pass on to her own children. She says losing her brother when he was just 25 gave her a different perspective on life and made her even more determined to make the most of every opportunity. 'Maybe it's because I lost my brother when he was only 25, but when you get that kind of perspective, you realise that you have to live life.' 'You can't sit back and wait for it to happen, you need to live it to the max because we don't know how long we're going to be here.' Now, she wants her children to grow up with the confidence to pursue whatever makes them happy. 'I don't want my children to have any regrets. I want them to absolutely go for everything that they love. They're only small, but I want them to feel that they will have a life well lived.' Read the full interview with Jacqui and see the stunning photos in the September issue of RSVP Magazine, on shelves now View 3 Images Photography by Kate Nolan @kate_nolan_photography Styling by Lauren Maguire,IG: @laurenmaguire.stylist Hair by Sarah Nugent, IG: @sarahhair.x Makeup by Michelle Field, IG: @michellefiledmakeup Location: St Helen's, Dublin There is a wonderful new chapter unfolding at St. Helen's, and we are delighted to share the news with you. St. Helen's is now part of The Scally Hotel Collection, which includes Hayfield Manor in Cork, Great Southern Killarney, and Killarney Royal Townhouse. This is a proud Irish family-owned group of luxury hotels with a deep passion for genuine hospitality and memorable experiences. As part of this transition, the estate will now be known simply as St. Helen's, a name that reflects both our distinguished history and our renewed vision for the future. This marks the beginning of an exciting new era for St. Helens, and we look forward to welcoming you to experience it with us. Contact us for your next overnight stay, conference or BBQ event in Dublin 01 218 6000 , www.sthelenshotel.ie St. Helens Hotel , Dublin Want to see more of the stories you love from RSVP ? To add RSVP as a preferred source of news on Google, simply click here