“Look Aditya, What you want is easy to say, but it’s not that simple.” The world doesn’t work that way. Grow up; “it’s not that simple.”
I have lost countless opportunities, valuable relations, and a future that could’ve been a whole lot different; just because I succumbed to the words “It’s not that simple.” I hold myself accountable for misinterpreting the statement.
Yesterday, Glenn Maxwell hit a double century against Afghanistan when his team was staring at imminent defeat, reeling at 97/7 and chasing what seemed like an impossible target of 293 for a win. The fan poll on the screen showed the win percentage in favor of Afghanistan at 89%. He was dropped twice and nearly missed an LBW appeal. The pressure was on! Every single person knew that it was about time for the Afghan team to pull off a major upset in cricket history. Maxwell was the only batsman left who had the ability to salvage a respectable score. Mathematically, it was possible – 6 runs per over, low-risk play for a win. But “it was not that simple” was my first thought after all the calculations.
But Maxwell had another game plan. He took the pressure to the Afghan bowlers by playing like there was nothing to lose. The confidence in the gameplay was godlike – an invincible power that took on the Afghan bowling attack and won the game for his team in a heroic fashion!
Where did he get his confidence from?! Yes, agreed, he is a world-class player who trains for the kind of shots he played, but when a semifinal slot is dependent on the win, what made him defy every statistic, opinion, and projection to win the game for Australia?
I got the answer from his switch-hit six to a pace ball directly aimed at the stumps when he had body cramps all over: COURAGE. It was a eureka moment for me! Courage comes before confidence! His courage to stick to his natural hitting game when the common advice was to play it slow. The courage to keep taking the risk of losing his wicket for the odd boundary he might score. The courage to push his body beyond its limit for that one run! Courage fueled his confidence. Yes, “it’s not that simple” – it’s just a pessimistic way of saying “it’s possible but with some struggle.”
I have lived a life of sticking to simple things, doing things within boundaries set by my body, my mind, and society. That life leads to a long list of regrets and compromises rather than achievements and satisfaction. It's frustrating, like a python slowly crushing you until you are breathless. In this new life, I intend to run that extra kilometer when my body wants to stop, I intend to question traditions and processes to understand their real purpose, and I intend not to give up on people and relations when my mind isn’t able to understand different perspectives. Because Maxwell has shown me that 'it's not that simple but it is possible!' What I win will be directly proportional to how much courage I have and the risks I am willing to take. I will let this paradigm shift in my view towards life direct my decisions. And you, as my reader, will have the privilege to know if it works out or not without experimenting with your own life! I’ll update you all soon on the changes I experience! Until then, stay safe and happy!