Page 64 - Sanidhya 2024

The Game-Point!

Post-CoVID, I shifted to Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, where as the final winner of the game.
my father was posted. There my evening routine
had changed from surfing reels on social media to Secondly, sometimes there comes
regularly playing badminton with one of my dearest a situation in the game where
friends, Aarav, who was almost six years younger opponents are continuously
and his sports skills were six times better than mine. earning points and your graph
His father was a fantastic sportsperson, and Aarav stands stagnated at a specific
started taking lessons from him quite early. If I talk point. During this phase, you are
about my win-loss ratio with him, then it must be unable to find a way to cap Shivendra Kumar Jha
something close to 1:4. But even winning only a few the opponent’s hike and raise S/O Shri Dharmendra Kumar Jha,
Commandant 236th BN, CRPF
matches against Aarav gave me some philosophical your points. This also happens
understanding of relations that I wanted to share. in our personal, professional, as well as social lives. But
I feel that what we need to do in such situations is not
In the game of badminton, even if you gain a head to lose our cool and concentrate on the game to just
start and maintain your lead to 10, 15, or even 18 gain a single point. Once you get a point, you get the
points, there is no guarantee that you will certainly win ‘opportunity’ of service and if you use that opportunity
the match. The winner would be the one who crosses wisely and serve a beneficial service, you again get
the benchmark of ‘21’ first, even if you surpassed your another opportunity and this cycle goes on, which
opponent at every checkpoint and you were leading ultimately drags you closer to victory. Once you lose
throughout the match. If the opponent reaches the final your cool, you get caught in a trap! So, in the game of
point of ‘21’ earlier. You would have been the winner our lives also, we should try to gain or wait for the right
if the match had ended at 10, 15, 18, 26, or 31 points, opportunity to act or react. Responding in anguish would
but that isn’t how it happens. You have to be ahead at be again falling in trap of the opponent. And if we fail
the right moment. The same stands true in the case of to recognize the opportunity or miss acting on it, then it
our lives also. Being born with a silver spoon does not would be us facing the consequences. One opportunity
guarantee success in life. While someone may excel would subsequently lead you to the other if understood
academically, collecting numerous certificates and and utilized properly. Hence, we can argue that success
accolades, it doesn’t necessarily ensure a successful is the result of a chain of opportunities, utilized properly.
future. On the other hand, a seemingly ordinary
person, with little recognition during school or in their Thirdly, as I play doubles in badminton, I came to
community, could go on to achieve remarkable things, understand that trust and coordination between you
just like Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Mark Zuckerberg, M.S. and your teammate are of utmost importance if you
Dhoni, Hafeez Contractor, Nani Palkhivala, or General want to succeed. No one is perfect. The focus should
Sam Manekshaw. The potential for success is limitless, be to build a proper strategy according to these
and the path to greatness is often unpredictable. traits and complement our partner. You would not
Though these examples were of a bit high intensity, we always get to choose your team. You have to mold
can also take examples of our military, bureaucracy, yourself accordingly and act strategically gaining
politics, entrepreneurship, etc. where academically the confidence of other stakeholders in your life.
not-so-strong people have given out the best results,
both in service and in the examinations. These Lastly, it’s failure that makes you mature, not success. I
extraordinary names were also the ones who were have noticed that few people get arrogant with success.
far away from their opponents at some point in time, They are not able to handle even a small defeat. Either
but they knew that winning the checkpoints like that they never accept the fact they are defeated or they
of 5, 10, or 15 doesn’t matter, but crossing that ‘21’ react to failures aggressively which causes harm to
does. They understood that life is a marathon, not them. Whereas people who have earlier failed or lost,
a sprint. The match of life doesn’t end after school, tend to have higher emotional intelligence and act in
college, or even after securing a job. It offers you many a much more mature manner. I am a strong believer
innings and provides you with ample opportunities in the notion that life is indeed the greatest equalizer.
to shine as a winner. So, we should always have At the end of the day, I have observed everyone to
some zeal and enthusiasm to play some unexpected be almost on the same pedestal. So, let’s just live
innings of life and use the opportunity to come out with the flow; things will automatically fall into place.

64