In my last article (https://testing.pagalguy.com/news/lose-gracefully-win-a-17666200/), I mentioned that losing gracefully is as important as winning. In this article, I would like to share an idea of how geniuses carved their niches. This has a direct relation with winning and losing.

In our fast-paced modern life, we, as the Indian bourgeois, feel secluded from the spotlight. We wish to have a better life. We wish to have a costlier car. We wish to adopt more luxuries. We wish to be healthy. I think, if you ask an average individual about his wishes in India, he/she will hand over a long list which may take more than a lifetime to fulfill. On a lighter note, maybe that’s why we have so many different Gods and Goddesses, adding to the concept of division of labour.

What is a wish ? Simply put, it is a strong desire to attain something through which we can feel and be happy. The very next question comes, “How do we fulfill it ?” Now the problem here is that the answer varies. And the answer varies because the attitude varies. Let’s take an example. Suppose you are walking along the bank of a river with your friends on a holiday. You slip and fall into the water. Will you just wish that you survive ? No, you will give all your strength to come out, irrespective of whether your friends help you or not. Once you are out, your wish has been fulfilled. Then why cannot we do the same in our work as well ? Why do we shun the chase to perfection ?

In India, we’ve been dazzled by talent a great deal. We often say, “I wish I could play like Sachin.” “I wish I could sing like Rafi.” “I wish I could be like that hero/heroine.” We wish to live others’ lives. We wish to carry others’ successes. But we often fail to see what did they struggle against to achieve that level. We want to live their successes without enduring their pains and failures, which is impossible. There is only one way out of this maze.

Discover your passion and its challenges. Be proud of succeeding and failing. You don’t lose respect by making a mistake; you lose respect when you repeat it multiple times. Stop comparing yourself with others. Set benchmarks for yourself, not to overtake others. Compete with yourself and see how better you can get. Study the life of winners. You’ll find all these things in common. Had Sachin thought of overtaking Gavaskar and Richards, either he would have retired long back or he wouldn’t have played such spectacular cricket. Feel the burning desire of these winners. Think of how they converted their desires into perfection. Apply the same in your work. The roulette ball favours the one who spins the roulette wheel with the greatest effort and not the one who wishes the ball to stop at the jackpot.