Rohit Sharma hit another double century, baba! Wonderful stroke player.. my son was gushing.. he could not stop talking about it for almost 10 mns. Understandably so. He is enamored by cricket and cricketers and he is a keen follower of Cricket section on the News Paper.
What did you hear from the experts about Rohit’s that stayed with you, Aaryan? I asked. I treat my son as if he is a grown up and who understands this language. I prefer an adult to adult conversation. I am also bad in an adult to child conversation. I want him to think and look at aspects of life that are crucibles.
He thought for a while and said, he had great timing. He doesn’t use power to hit the ball. He just has a great sense of timing.
Nice! Pretty clever for a 11 year old to arrive at this conclusion – biased father in me thought.
And, how does he get this gift of timing? I asked – greedy for more precocious answers from my son.
I am still with this conversation though it took place a few weeks ago.
What makes champions?
All players are skilled; thus champions need to be better at the skills if any game / art. And as I started reading and studying the champions, I started realizing that all the greatest champions had a gift of timing.. they had ample time on their hands to execute a shot in a given moment. The champion is able to, in that split second, decide from host of options, which shot or response will be most appropriate that will win a point or a match. To my mind, this ability to be able to choose in that split second from host of options comes from mastery they have in their art and through this the great relationship with time. All greats have great respect for time. Over a sustained period of hard work and dedication, time also respects them.
‘He has so much of time to play his shot’, they used to say about Sachin Tendulkar. They say the same thing about Messi or Ronaldo – he just is an artist, look at the footwork! Since that Rohit Sharma double century act, I watched several matches across games – tennis, football, hockey, and read about various other artistes in music / dance across cultures, scholars in various fields.
What allows them such artistry?
Mastery – muscle memory has been credited with the effortlessness with which a champion is able to essay a response. The champions put in hours and hours of practice and that act becomes a part of their muscle memory.
Through self-discipline, they ensure that they stay dedicated to the most rigourous routines that gives them mastery.Zakir Hussain in his interview narrates how he used to be up before his siblings to accompany his father for ‘riyaz’ and how he had to give up playing cricket to keep his hands ‘safe’.
One stand-out aspect of this discipline is their ability stay focused on the here-and-now. Come what may, they engage in their routine at the decided hour. They do not sway away from their rules and they surround themselves with people who honor their discipline, rather encourage them to adhere to their discipline to the t. All this, not surprisingly, helps them develop resilience. When under pressure in a match or a stage performance or during a surgery, the artist effortlessly focuses on the task at hand – does not waver or falter –the muscle memory kicks in and offers them great options to choose from.
As I am closing this piece, I witness R Federer winning his 6th Australian Open title and his 20th overall. He is in control of his emotions till the last shot – he is serving for the championship point but still betrays no emotions. That is powerful Here and Now. As the last match-point is being reviewed, he realizes that he has not yet won the point and hence the match, hequickly changes his expressions, brings his emotions under check and keeps his celebrations aside. As the screen flashes ‘in’ sign, he throws his arms in air to celebrate his win.. Commentator says, who would have imagined him winning his 20th title, 3rd after he turned 35.. Absolutely! But, here is a man who has a class-apart relationship with time. Longevity borne out of smart choices and endurance built though discipline are hallmark of RF’s relationship with time..
What mastery can I boast off?
I wondered what is my relationship with time?