Riyaaz Is Key to Success

(Published in Banking Services Chronicle December 2006)

The secret of success lies in singleness of purpose. Most of the geniuses are so obsessed with their goals that they have to face embarrassing moments if they step into some other field. But such trivia hardly matter when you are pursuing the love of your life. If you are a Sachin Tendulkar, you virtually breathe cricket. Says he: “I am programmed only to think cricket. Right up till the very last time I walk out on the pitch, my focus will only be cricket.”

If the focus is clear and you have applied yourself to achieving it, the game of success is quite simple. Interestingly, for most of the people simple is boring. The result: success continues to elude them. Yes, it is true that a feat of miracles can bring you fifteen minutes of fame — Shabaash India type, if you ever heard of that show. But the long-term game is about sticking to simplicity with a cool head. Says ace pacer Glenn McGrath: “Bowling at the death is about keeping it simple, building pressure and staying calm.”

Look at the freedom struggle and you will understand that concept better. Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad provided important breakthroughs. But the man of the match undoubtedly was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. A concept now made famous by Munna bhai, “Gandhigiri” is all about confronting a problem with patience and persistence. The mantra is a part of the title of the movie itself: Lage raho (“persist”).

A weekly magazine recently highlighted the crisis Indian classical music is facing. What will happen to it once the Ravi Shankar-Bhimsen Joshi generation departs from the scene? An analysis revealed that if the youngsters are not up to mark, a major reason lies in the lack of patience. Says Buddhadeb Dasgupta: “There’s lack of patience in the young, who want to hit the stage just after 2-3 years of learning.”

Be it politics, cricket or music, the goals of life are attained through patience and persistence. Only riyaaz (preparation) can help you perfect the art.