Life is a Sport, PLAY IT!!

In many ways, life can be compared to sports. Having predominantly played cricket most of my life, I sometimes draw many of its similarities to life.


In group sports, we normally walk into a field with a group of people – your team mates. It’s virtually impossible to emerge victorious without proper co-ordination and understanding. There has to be a good bonding, trust and mutual respect between the team members. If all these ingredients are in the correct proportions, you stand a good chance of winning; else needless to say, you’ll end up on a disappointing note. Ditto with life: you have a team and you need to manage this team. This team consists of your family and friends. The ingredients for a happy family are the same as mentioned above. Miss one and you’ll miss peace for sure.


The other striking similarity is discipline. To win a game, you need to be disciplined. Disciplined enough to practice regularly and to play the game in the right spirit (I don’t mean alcohol here). You are not allowed to play the game the way you like. You have certain responsibilities and you need to abide to them. So in life- you have a set of responsibilities. Few of them are enforced by nature (e.g.: maintaining health) and a few you need to discharge for your family’s well being.


Planning forms the basis of every sport. You need to plan the team composition, how to approach the game, your team’s strengths and weaknesses etc. Without proper planning, you are headed towards disaster. Similarly, you cannot have a secure future if you don’t plan your life right. Finance, career, house and many other things needs to be planned to avoid major shocks in the way!


Then comes ethics. Every individual needs to ensure that the moral principles are not looked over. It must be ensured that one doesn’t cross the line. It’s a question of reputation. In sport, as well as in life, we should strive hard for good reputation.


Last but not the least; we need a lot of patience. Games can be a test of character. To give your best, you need to be patient and wait for the right opportunities. You cannot whack every ball for a six. So in life, right opportunities do come your way. All you need to do is be patient, wait for the right opportunity and make the most of it.


It surely looks like life is a sport, a long fascinating sport with all the up’s and down’s of a classical game of cricket (imagine a last ball finish with one wicket in hand). All we need to ensure is that we don’t take life too seriously. Life should be spontaneous, playful and full of humor!! After all, IT’S JUST A GAME!! Play it!


-Sandeep Mahagaonkar