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Novak
Djokovic: “There was no self-belief on the court. I got afraid from winning against
Federer/Nadal.”
As I watched Djokovic’s feature on CBS-“ From War to
Wimbledon” yesterday, I was left wondering how fear of winning can potentially stop
us from realizing our potential and make us live a life of ordinary.
4 years in a row, match after match, Djokovic came up with
the same result against his two opponents. He tried but still kept on losing. I
can just imagine how frustrating it must have been for him to keep coming back
to his locker room thinking of the reasons why he was not able to win.
10th
September, 2010. Flushing Meadows, Djokovic is down a match point on his serve
and even before the ball was tossed, people had started talking about Federer’s
chances against Nadal in the finals. Little did they know they were about to
witness the rise of a fearless champion.
At the post
match interview, he said while facing
match point, he started playing freely because
his back was against the wall and he had nothing left to lose. In that instant, Djokovic must have realized
that on the other side of every fear is freedom. And thereby started the story
of his rebirth, since the last 1.5 years, he has accomplished achievements
which only few could have imagined. Tennis fans witnessed one of the best
season in the history of tennis: 11 titles including 3 GS & 5 ATP World
Tour Masters.
Probably
this fear is what propelled him to greatness. As he must have realized that
tennis supremacy was all that was left to gain. What had he to lose? He was
already losing to Federer/Nadal in the GS so why not just go out there and face
his fear heads on!
In our
lives, isn’t it fear which is stopping us? What do you fear the most? Some have
fear of heights, some have stage fright, some people are afraid of higher
education, some fear they are not capable of preforming a certain task and so
on. You might be afraid of many things in life but you must always overcome
them. Do the things which you think you cannot do. What will happen- in the
worst case scenario you will end up not doing it. That’s alright as you were
already at that stage only. Right?
Imagine
if Djokovic would have continued to be afraid……..
I will
end this article with a beautiful poem I read this morning by Frank Herbert &
instantly Djokovic’s image came to my mind:
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
How true?
The Power of Belief ! (Roger Federer)
Alisa Kleybanova: The Fighter, The Survivor & The Player!
The Humble Rafa- Part I
Thanks, that was inspiring! It's true that fear can act as a roadblock.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteYou will be really really afriad! When other players are taking away all the trophies that you won last year from you! The pressures are all on you this year! Be afriad! Be really really afriad! :p
ReplyDeleteNovak doesn't seem afraid to me mate, if anything, your boys are the ones that have wiggly knees. Where is Fed? Oh yes, out of the picture, where is Nadal? Oh yes, still trying to win a title since last year.. Where is Novak? On his way to winning his 2nd title of the season after already defending his GRAND SLAM title in Oz.. Yes, you're right, be afraid guys, be very afraid, Novak is looking better than either of you ever did..
DeleteThanks Apeksha.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 2 - Keep hating, you're just jealous cause you'll never achieve what Nole did...He has nothing to fear, he achieved his biggest dreams already and anything else will only be a bonus...His name is cemented in the tennis history books already! Cheers! :)
Thanks Moran!
DeleteNole has already achieved his biggest dream : Wimbledon + No.1 so you are right, anything else will be over and above those! Just love the way he has risen against all the odds! Truly inspiring.
Nice article and his season was indeed awesome but he won 3 GS not 4.
ReplyDeleteThanks! You are right that in 2011, he won 3 GS.The 4th won was won this year at Aus Open. And I was talking about the entire 2011+ 2012 till date:).
Delete"Since the last 1.5 years, he has accomplished achievements which only few could have imagined...".
True, I didn't notice the 1.5 years. I just thought of the 3GS vs 4GS from your quote:
Delete"Tennis fans witnessed one of the best season in the history of tennis: 11 titles including 4 GS & 5 ATP World Tour Masters."
I see you were referring to that "season" of 1.5 years :).
My Bad! You are correct: I shouldn't have mentioned the word season. Thanks for pointing out:).
DeleteHes really a nice Player
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You...are...awesome! This blog is so great. I really hope more people read this and get what you're saying, because let me tell you, its important stuff.
ReplyDelete