Nothing Succeeds like Success

This IPL, the transformation of two players - Riyan Parag and Shivam Dube has made me contemplate the fickleness of perception and human emotions. Not long back these players were made fun of, panned, and were the object of ridicule. But this season with great strike rates and the ability to make their team cross the line, the image has changed. Suddenly Riyan is not the enfant terrible who thinks too much of himself and Shivam is not just a good-looking guy with the bat. There is even talk of them making the Indian team.

We live in a world where there are more critics than doers. Everything that you do would be criticized. You would be made fun of. It would pressure you to give up.

It is easy being a critic. It saves you from the grind. It saves you from ever feeling that you need to level up. It saves you from confronting your own reality. It also gives you a moral high ground. You can pass judgments on the doers and appear as an intellectual of high taste. But what is the fun in that?

It is the doer who is the main character. The one who strives and toils day in and day out. The one who confronts her shortcomings and then tries to overcome them. The one who goes to practice every day, trying to hone her skills. The one who sweats in practice. The real hard work happens away from the glare. Riyan Parag was told to play every domestic match. From Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to Ranji Trophy, there were very few games where he did not make the mark either with the bat or the ball. When he came into the IPL, his hard work showed. He scored fifties with an astonishing strike rate. It was said the short ball was Shivam Dube’s weakness. He started this IPL smashing boundaries on the short ball. It is said he worked hard when nobody was looking.

So back to the critics. They all sang the praises of these two players. Some became their cheerleaders. Others took credit for their success, saying that their criticismw pushed these players to perform. But the reality is that, it was these very players who dared to look within themselves, ignited the fire and came on top.

You will fail every day till you succeed. The world will laugh at you till you succeed. Doors will be closed on your face till you succeed. You will have to accept, confront and work on your shortcomings till you succeed. You will have to believe in yourself because the world will not believe in you - till you succeed. You will have to work hard till you succeed and then even more. And then one day, because you overcame all these things and because you are successful, there will be respect and adulation, doors will open to get you in the right rooms and there will be money and fame!

Nothing succeeds like success! You just have to work your backside off.