"Winning..."

Like all other kids he played "underarm" cricket with tennis balls in the lanes of Bombay. Like all other kids he was average at studies. Hardly ever did he cross seventy percent in his exams. Then one day his elder brother asked him, "Would you like to play cricket for a living?" He was only 13 then. Hardly did he know what he was doing. His brother was good cricketeer but had bad health. So "Brother knows the best" he thought and answered a "Yes."

So the next day he started his formal cricket coahing. He was the worst batsman in their class for the first 2 weeks. His coach called his brother and told him that the boy had no future in cricket. "No!" Protested his brother. "I've seen him playing and I know this is not the way he usually plays. Give him time sir. Please."

There was no improvement in the third week too. Finally the brother went to the boy and told him. "Are you sure this is what you want to do all your life?" This time the boy thought for a night. The next day he said "Yes, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life."

After that he worked hard. Day and night. He worked upto 16 hours a day. He never won a single best batsman award for the first year. In the second year he showed some promises. In the third he expected some of the biggest awards as the best batsman but managed to get only the trifle ones. He never got any of the bigger ones.

Then one day he was picked up in the Indian Cricket Team. He became the youngest player ever to be picked up. He was very average for the first few games. But he went on facing 6 ft dark monsters of West Indies and White monsters of Austrailia with his frail figure.

Its been 18 years since then. Today he holds the following records:

1. Maximum number of centuries
2. Maximum number of runs
3. Maximum number of "Man of the Match" awards
4. Youngest Captain ever
5. Played the highest number of matches.

He's still there. Fit and Fine. I don't have to tell you he is Sachin Tendulkar.

Imagine what would have happened if he'd given up in the first week? First month? Or when inspite of deserving didnt get any of the bigger awards?

He'd never have won the highest honor for a sportsman in India. The Arjuna Award. He'd never be the best batsman ever. He'd never be Sachin Tendulkar.

Winning is not about "Today" or "Now." Winning is long term. Winning is not about a competition. Winning is about an entire life. Winning is not being "better than others." Winning is about being at "your best."

Win!

The Happy Prince