Sachin Tendulkar completes 47 today.
From switching off my TV at age of 10 in 2003 when Sachin got out in the world cup final, to watching Sharjah’s desert storm of 1997 on Ten Sports. From celebrating when Sachin was ranked #1 in the ICC Cricket ratings in early 2000s to crying hearing his retirement speech in 2013- it has been a hell of a ride.
Sachin has always been my third favorite Indian cricketer after Saurav Ganguly (I am a lefty :p) and Virender Sehwag. Today, on his birthday, let’s look at 5 interesting leadership lessons we can learn from the little master.
- Discipline: One of Sachin’s most important lesson you learn from Sachin is his discipline towards the sport. His body, soul and mind were all inclined towards scoring. He changed his diet plans, focussed on his health and always delivered no matter the conditions. This is a significant leadership lesson for the young entrepreneurs. Never ignore your diet plan. Never lose your inclination towards reaching your goals and always be disciplined in life. You will not only achieve success with discipline, but you will also earn the respect of even your worst competitors.
- Consistency: Oh Sachin Tendulkar is the most consistent batsman ever. Playing any sport at the world level for 24+ years is in itself an inspiring feat. How do you think that Sachin is able to achieve all the amazing results in the world of cricket? Well, he did it consistently over time. There is no way Sachin can achieve those extraordinary results within one night. Success takes time. He never underscored in any part of his career and always managed to bounce back from small failures. Successful people are able to produce untouched results in their lives because they are willing to do the work over long-term without getting distracted in life. There is no way you can achieve big success in a short time. Sachin’s insane long career is a proof of his consistent devotion to the game. Remember leaders, the longer you are in the field, the better chance you have in changing the world as we know it.
- Never Give Up: Sachin adapted into every cricketing format be it tests, one day or 20-20 games. His love for cricket kept him appraised to evolving cricket configurations. No field, no circumstances, no hurdles can stop you if you believe in never giving up. Sachin was able to play every major format of the game with sheer brilliance only because of his attitude. Remember young leaders, do not fear failure. It is okay to take time. It is okay to fall. But always remember to rise for one day, you will rise and you will shine.
- Aim for the Stars and lead from the front: Goal setting is extremely important in leadership. There have been a lot of great players before Sachin, and a lot more after him but what makes Sachin the greatest is his unbeatable records. His 100 centuries is a mammoth task that even extraordinary batsmen dread to dream of. But Sachin’s motivation to breeze past the impossible encourages us to do the same. Sachin also became the first man on earth to score a 200 in ODIs. Once Sachin scored the maiden 200*, others started to step up and better the record.
- Plan B: Sachin always had a Plan B if things don’t work in his favour. When Dale Steyn was at his very best, and left no stones unturned in dismissing the Indian squad, it was Sachin who left all good deliveries over and over and again and again. This frustrated Dale Steyn and he started bowling bad balls. Crisis became an opportunity and Sachin score huge in that game in style. For all young leaders, always have multiple roads ready to reach your goal. If the hurdle is too big, change the path, don’t change your goal.
Happy Birthday little master. Thank you for representing India.
