Confidence:
Never
live even a second without it
by
TSK. Raman
Confidence - We all have it, and we all need tons of it every moment.
Everyone
chases it without realizing each of us is endowed with a lot of it
buried deep down in us. Successful people or the so called successful
people have abundance of it. Marginal performers have it too, but
they just don't bring enough to the fore.
Confidence
- we all need it.
And what is it exactly?
Let me try explaining this to you in simple terms.
Whenever I think of confidence, the only picture that comes to my mind is that of Sir Issac Vivian Alexander Richards (better known as Viv Richards to the cricketing world and the millions of fans all over, and to his friends 'Viv,' and he carried a nick name 'SMOKING JOE,' because he used to smoke 'cigars' most times when not playing).
No one will disagree with me if I say he was an imposing personality, an awesome pesonality. He was the most demonic and devastating batsman of the "modern era."
From Antigua-Adelaide, Barbados- Basin Reserve, Northamton- Newlands, London to Lahore, Kokatta-Kandy, whever he went, he dominated the bowlers – pace and spin alike. And if it is not an exaggeration, I would say he dominated the game entirely during his period. Be it test or county, whether it was Thomson or Lillee, Imran or Sarfaraz or Qadir, Willis or Hendricks, Bedi, Prasanna, Chandra, or Venkat – to him everyone was the same, and all of them got the same murderous, non-challant treatment, which earned him the name "Master Blaster."
He was endowed with great natural talent, and relied heavily on his instincts, however, he took enough care to build a superb physique which gave him "raw power." He was much like a "boxer," in the Mohammed Ali – Tyson mould. He was blessed with a sharp eye, had quick silver feet and a great sense of timing. All these put together more than compensated for his not being technically (as purists like Boycott or Gavasakar, one would say), yet he was devastatingly productive.
When the late Peter Roebuck interviewed him once during a county season in Somerset, England, Viv claimed confidence in self is the thing that separated him from all other cotemporary cricketers including those in the county professional circuit. Viv added, "Many people have asked me as to what I have that the other cricketers don't have? Well I just bring more confidence in the middle than the rest of the blokes."
Now you see what confidence is?
Confidence is the one that makes all the difference. Confidence is firm self-belief in one's own abilities. You may not have all the skills to accomplish a specific task in the present time, however confidence gives you the assurance that 'all is well," and you will be successful in the present which can carry you into the future too. On confidence, master motivator Zig Ziglar, says, "its just telling the truth in advance."
Believe me there are a lot of people in the world (including you and me), who have confidence. What really matter is how much of it do we bring to the fore to attain the desired outcomes or results we want. Confidence is maintaining faith in yourself, no matter what your age.
I like the following verse which says a lot about confidence,
Doubt sees the obstacles, faith sees the way,
Doubt sees the darkest night, faith sees the day,
Doubt dreads to take a step, but faith soars on the high,
Doubt questions "Who believes?" and FAITH answers "I"
Confidence - Never live even a second without it
Having said so much about confidence, let me also caution you that too much of confidence can lead to "over confidence," and that can lead you to "arrogance" which is the shortest path to decline.
There is an evidence of this we can recall immediately.
The scene: 25 June 1983 the day on which the Prudential World Cup final at Lords, is a testimony to this. India were playing the giants, much like David met Goliath.
And what is it exactly?
Let me try explaining this to you in simple terms.
Whenever I think of confidence, the only picture that comes to my mind is that of Sir Issac Vivian Alexander Richards (better known as Viv Richards to the cricketing world and the millions of fans all over, and to his friends 'Viv,' and he carried a nick name 'SMOKING JOE,' because he used to smoke 'cigars' most times when not playing).
No one will disagree with me if I say he was an imposing personality, an awesome pesonality. He was the most demonic and devastating batsman of the "modern era."
From Antigua-Adelaide, Barbados- Basin Reserve, Northamton- Newlands, London to Lahore, Kokatta-Kandy, whever he went, he dominated the bowlers – pace and spin alike. And if it is not an exaggeration, I would say he dominated the game entirely during his period. Be it test or county, whether it was Thomson or Lillee, Imran or Sarfaraz or Qadir, Willis or Hendricks, Bedi, Prasanna, Chandra, or Venkat – to him everyone was the same, and all of them got the same murderous, non-challant treatment, which earned him the name "Master Blaster."
He was endowed with great natural talent, and relied heavily on his instincts, however, he took enough care to build a superb physique which gave him "raw power." He was much like a "boxer," in the Mohammed Ali – Tyson mould. He was blessed with a sharp eye, had quick silver feet and a great sense of timing. All these put together more than compensated for his not being technically (as purists like Boycott or Gavasakar, one would say), yet he was devastatingly productive.
When the late Peter Roebuck interviewed him once during a county season in Somerset, England, Viv claimed confidence in self is the thing that separated him from all other cotemporary cricketers including those in the county professional circuit. Viv added, "Many people have asked me as to what I have that the other cricketers don't have? Well I just bring more confidence in the middle than the rest of the blokes."
Now you see what confidence is?
Confidence is the one that makes all the difference. Confidence is firm self-belief in one's own abilities. You may not have all the skills to accomplish a specific task in the present time, however confidence gives you the assurance that 'all is well," and you will be successful in the present which can carry you into the future too. On confidence, master motivator Zig Ziglar, says, "its just telling the truth in advance."
Believe me there are a lot of people in the world (including you and me), who have confidence. What really matter is how much of it do we bring to the fore to attain the desired outcomes or results we want. Confidence is maintaining faith in yourself, no matter what your age.
I like the following verse which says a lot about confidence,
Doubt sees the obstacles, faith sees the way,
Doubt sees the darkest night, faith sees the day,
Doubt dreads to take a step, but faith soars on the high,
Doubt questions "Who believes?" and FAITH answers "I"
Confidence - Never live even a second without it
Having said so much about confidence, let me also caution you that too much of confidence can lead to "over confidence," and that can lead you to "arrogance" which is the shortest path to decline.
There is an evidence of this we can recall immediately.
The scene: 25 June 1983 the day on which the Prudential World Cup final at Lords, is a testimony to this. India were playing the giants, much like David met Goliath.
Chasing
a very modest total that India had set for their giant opponents to
lift the coveted title for the third time in a row, West Indies
fumbled from the start, and their woes compounded with captain Clive
Lloyd pulling a hamstring during India's innings.
West
Indies didn't seem too bothered, at least not when the gum-chewing
Richards was walking out to the middle to take guard. In no time of
his arrival, he stamped his authority at the crease, stroking as well
as he always does, looked a man in a hurry as if he wanting to finish
the game as soon as possible, so that he would get to open the
"champagne" bottle early and drink all night beginning from
the afternoon.
With
gay abandon he breezily walked away to 33 swiftly scored runs, and
then that thing happened.
Madanlal,
who normally runs faster than he bowls offer Viv a juicy half volley
on Viv's pad, which he flicked though uppishly, and from no where a
Kapil Dev who ran a clear 35+ plus yards from square leg took a
marvelous catch from behind his shoulders to send Viv back to the
pavilion.
Viv
was stunned as much as the rest of the world was at that time, and
that was the injection perhaps India needed to stake a claim on the
World Cup which they eventually won by a margin of 43 runs.
West
Indies the giants were made to bite the dust by "Kapil Devils,"
and they earned the title of becoming the "giant-killers. Sadly
after that, West Indies after that have never won a World Cup title,
and the world saw a subdued Viv Richards after that.
I
guess he learnt a huge lesson in his life after that and if you were
to ask him what is the most disappointing moment of his life, he will
probably spell out his getting out on the afternoon of 25 June 1983,
in the final.
Let's take this as a learning point and let's be on the guard.
Motivating isn't it... YYGTBI (Yes You've Got to Believe It).. yes I am a great fan of the great Sir Viv, and as I punch the key board for words I can, in my mind see the
Let's take this as a learning point and let's be on the guard.
Motivating isn't it... YYGTBI (Yes You've Got to Believe It).. yes I am a great fan of the great Sir Viv, and as I punch the key board for words I can, in my mind see the
flash-
back on my mind's screen, what a "mercenary" he absolutely
was.
I
can visualize the same gum-chewing, hip swinging guy, whose classy
whip of his hips or a laid back cut, or a murderous pull right from
out-the off-stump straight over midwicket of the last ball of the
West Indian innings and also the last ball of the ever so accurate
Mike Hendricks, in an ODI in England. Incidentally this innings is
one which perhaps Viv would rate as his best, because West Indies,
after being in dire straits at
98
for 8, he scored a century almost single handed and about 90 odd runs
of his own bat, in a century partnership with Mike Holding who ended
up scoring just 8 remaining unbeaten. You can imaging what a raging
bull Viv would have been that day at the crease. Wow that man had a
variety of shots in his armory.
The credit for discovering this genius Viv goes to Fred Titmus, Tom Cartwright and a few other English professsional cricketers who went to the Carribean in the early 70's to fish out raw talent for their counties. It seems they found in one of the beaches a young man bare footed hammering away the coconut shells with a country made bat.
The credit for discovering this genius Viv goes to Fred Titmus, Tom Cartwright and a few other English professsional cricketers who went to the Carribean in the early 70's to fish out raw talent for their counties. It seems they found in one of the beaches a young man bare footed hammering away the coconut shells with a country made bat.
They
watched him for a while, and the same thing was happening over and
over again, everything hurled at him got the same treatment... pluck
one shot and the shell landed in the ocean.
Awe struck with the power, stamina and the consistency, the pro's walked close to this young man, and invited him to come over to the nets the Englishmen had organized for unearthing talents. This young man went barefooted as usual in his Bermudas and a sandow banyan. He was asked to wear the pads and gloves, which he was at that time wearing for the first time and he did, but went to bat barefooted. They asked him to wear a shoe, but he said he didn't have one, and the ones they had didn't fit him.
Awe struck with the power, stamina and the consistency, the pro's walked close to this young man, and invited him to come over to the nets the Englishmen had organized for unearthing talents. This young man went barefooted as usual in his Bermudas and a sandow banyan. He was asked to wear the pads and gloves, which he was at that time wearing for the first time and he did, but went to bat barefooted. They asked him to wear a shoe, but he said he didn't have one, and the ones they had didn't fit him.
Viv
was visibly very uncomfortable with the protective gear, however soon
settle down to do what he knew best is to bat with flamboyance and
flourish.
Any
ball, any length, any pace hurled at him, was knocked mercilessly and
murderously out-of-sight. While the pro's were amazed by this raw
talent, who was such a wonderful natural hitter of the cricket ball,
they tried to culture him by tutoring him by talking to him on some
technicalities and the finer aspects of treating the ball on its
merits etc.
For
everything that was told to him, he received it with a smile, nodded
his head as if to say "thanks" in approval. He would go
back to the crease after the lessons, get ready to receive the next
ball the bowlers would bowl to him.
A ball pitched right in the block-hole was clipped right over midwicket right out of sight with power and elegance.
Next ball slightly short of good length, he rocked back and pulled it again over midwicket for the same result – ball out of sight.
The third ball was a good length ball outside the off stump again received the same treatment yielding the same result – ball out of sight.
The pro's went absolutely crazy, 3 different balls, but the same stroke, same result, and this time rather angrily they tried to culture his again. Viv's response like the first time was the same – broad grin and the nod.
Back to the batting crease, the routines of the bowlers got underway. There was a change in Viv's moods, because his batting looked more vigorous and forceful as if to say he would tear aprt the sems of the cricket ball with his murderous power.
The pro's were even more furious and asked him "where the ball was pitched and what should he have done?"
Viv's laugh this time was even more uncontrollable as he thought they were joking. According to him he had produced the maximum of everything, sent down to him, which many would find difficult even to defend, and here some were pulling him up for a job which they ought to have applauded. Moving away rapidly from the middle, visibly angrily Viv's response was, "where it pitched isn't for me maan, you tell me where is the ball after that. All that I know maan is I see something red hurled at me I'll butcher it, and that's what I'll do every time maan, I'll slaughter it."
That it seems reliably is the last time anyone ever dared talk to Viv about technique. He was signed and shipped straight away to Somerset to play in their county team and later he made it to the West Indies team which toured India in 1974 with Viv making his test debut on November 22, at Bangalore. He wasn't any roaring success while he began, but over a period of time he developed his own unique technique of handling bowlers and that is "hammer the hell even if you are defending."
A ball pitched right in the block-hole was clipped right over midwicket right out of sight with power and elegance.
Next ball slightly short of good length, he rocked back and pulled it again over midwicket for the same result – ball out of sight.
The third ball was a good length ball outside the off stump again received the same treatment yielding the same result – ball out of sight.
The pro's went absolutely crazy, 3 different balls, but the same stroke, same result, and this time rather angrily they tried to culture his again. Viv's response like the first time was the same – broad grin and the nod.
Back to the batting crease, the routines of the bowlers got underway. There was a change in Viv's moods, because his batting looked more vigorous and forceful as if to say he would tear aprt the sems of the cricket ball with his murderous power.
The pro's were even more furious and asked him "where the ball was pitched and what should he have done?"
Viv's laugh this time was even more uncontrollable as he thought they were joking. According to him he had produced the maximum of everything, sent down to him, which many would find difficult even to defend, and here some were pulling him up for a job which they ought to have applauded. Moving away rapidly from the middle, visibly angrily Viv's response was, "where it pitched isn't for me maan, you tell me where is the ball after that. All that I know maan is I see something red hurled at me I'll butcher it, and that's what I'll do every time maan, I'll slaughter it."
That it seems reliably is the last time anyone ever dared talk to Viv about technique. He was signed and shipped straight away to Somerset to play in their county team and later he made it to the West Indies team which toured India in 1974 with Viv making his test debut on November 22, at Bangalore. He wasn't any roaring success while he began, but over a period of time he developed his own unique technique of handling bowlers and that is "hammer the hell even if you are defending."
During
his playing days at Somerset, Viv found a great friend in Ian Botham,
(nicknamed Beefy - a sensational all-rounder of his time, who played
a distinguished role for England).
The
two forged a great alliance and their exploits earned them the name
of the "Terrible Twins of Somerset."
In
the county circuits around Taunton (the home of Somerset Cricket
Club), they say the dominance legendary two, makes rounds even to
this day. Both of them were confident people, but you'll never see
another like the great 'Viv," he was just phenomenal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viv_Richards
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Roebuck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset_County_Cricket_Club
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viv_Richards
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Roebuck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset_County_Cricket_Club
