The magic of not giving up
THE MAGIC OF NOT GIVING UP
I can never ever forget the greatest ever run chase and consequently the greatest ever one day cricket match EVER played. Australia batted first and made 434 which is a ridiculously high target, the highest target EVER set. (For those of you not familiar with cricket, 230-240 is a modest score by normal standards and 300-330 is a fantastic one, almost match winning). The pressure on south Africa was an astounding 8+ runs per over from the very word go. What followed was SURREAL. The south Africans just refused to budge and started plundering runs from the very word go.
Many a time they faced setbacks and till the last moment one was not sure who would win. South Africa won and made 438. The commentator was mentioning “ricky ponting ( the Australian captain) is not able to believe that this has happened to him and his men”
Many of my friends were wowed and amazed at the victory but I wanted to take it one step deeper. Seeing the match for all that it is, is great, but what is more profound is the mind mechanics that goes on. I was wondering what the South Africans would have been thinking when they walked into bat against a team that has arguably one of the worlds best bowling attack. What giant focus they must have had? What a solid plan they must have had? And when things might go wrong, what the backup plan must have been? Most importantly how lion hearted must they have been to come up with such a victory?
Being a lover of tennis as well, I cannot but admire the way Rafael nadal the genius embodies the game. In all his matches I am awestruck at the way he wins seemingly impossible points. In one particular match between him and Fernando verdasco, also a Spaniard (the Australian semifinal 2009) there was a particularly long rally and many a time during the rally, it looked so obvious that verdasco would win the point. When ultimately nadal hit a winner facing overwhelming odds, THE WHOLE ARENA gave a standing ovation. The commentator mentioned lets stop the game right here, why continue? meaning that the game could not have risen any higher in standard!! Perhaps he also meant that it would be difficult to digest any more tennis. Even verdasco could not help but smile. It was just sublime.
Nadal has had a great influence on me. In my opinion look at people who have been the world number ones. Federer, Pete sampras, Agassi to name a few. Almost all of them have had booming serves. Their serve many a time has won them matches. Look at nadal the present world number one (as on June 11th. 2009). It was mentioned that his greatest frustration has been his serve which was not really attacking as compared to many of his peers. And as you might know, if you have a naturally attacking serve, it makes matters so simple.
How does he make up for that? By his supreme athleticism! And most importantly by his spirit that refuses to give anything but the best each and every time, which rebounds back even after many have mocked at him after some of his apparent defeats. When Jo Wilfred Tsonga thrashed him in the 2008 Australian open semifinal (if my memory is right) many thought that was his end. So comprehensively was he beaten. As his ardent fan, even I was shaken. But what followed? In just a few months, I read that he has defeated Tsonga in another tournament. I could only shrug in amazement.
I feel impelled to quote something from the book Retire Young Retire Rich by Robert Kiyosaki, one of my favorite authors. He mentions that just because there are people who are smarter than you or have a head-start in life, it does not mean that you cant win the race. If you keep making progress on a daily basis and do things that most people don’t like to do, the race of life will be yours. I remind myself about this on every possible occasion when things keep getting tough or when I am forlorn.
In times of deep personal doubt when things are not going my way, I cannot but think about this genius who has so positively influenced my life. I just leave you with this thought of mine. When people all around the world can do it and we see so much evidence of the same, does it not make sense to learn from them and incorporate the same into our lives?
When things don’t go the way you wish, just remember that this is something that happens to many people. How you handle it is what makes all the difference! As Robert kiyosaki so beautifully puts it in his book Rich dad Poor dad Failure defeats losers and Failure inspires winners. That is the secret that losers do not know of. Heres wishing you all the very best that life has to offer.
