Last night I was witness to yet another one day cricket match (!) between India and Australia. India almost chased down a mammoth 350, thanks to the almost single handed effort of Sachin Tendulkar who played out of his skin to make 175 (of the 347 made). He unfortunately for out a couple of overs before the finish and India, which had already lost too many wickets, got all out just at the threshold! I was trying to imaginw how he would have felt as he saw the last man get run out. 175 is a huge score even by test match standards and is an incredible feat for a one day match- the next highest score was a little over 50- that should tell you. The man has already played close to 20 years of cricket, and is not exactly at the peak of his fitness. And, what is more, has been part of Indian teams that have been average. Thus, he has seen hso contribution go for a nought, many times before. However, look at his personal record- yesterday in the midst of this chase, he reached 17000 runs in one day matches, some 2500 runs more than the next player, who is Jayasuriya.
I figured that is is what greatness is all about. To be able to go back to first principles, undeterred by setbacks or contented with current achievements, and constantly recalibrate your goals and set new benchmarks.
The majority of people would have hung up their boots long back. But Tendulkar’s motivation and love for the game seems to only increase by the day.
Now, drawing a parallel with businesses, great businesses are those that have set audacious goals ( to borrow Jim Collins phrase), constantly reinvent themselves and also are less concerned about temporary setbacks. They have belief, they understand the big picture, and they have the desire to stand out of the pack.
At a more tactical level, one could draw an analogy between yesterday’s match and a company bidding for an important order. The company goes all out, its best salesman goes more than the extra mile and, even without too much support from the internal team, showcases the company superbly. The company makes it to the final shortlist, and when everyone is convinced that the order is theirs, it goes to a competitor who was never really in the fray till probably late in the game.
I am certain each and everyone of us would have gone through such experiences in our professional lives. How we react to such a situation, not once, but time and again, will determine in part how successful we are as individuals and together in creating stand out companies. It is hard not to feel sorry for yourself, indulge in self pity and succumb to frustration. But, those who dismiss such negativity and get back to business without losing time are destined for greatness.
Like Tendulkar, who I am sure will be out this morning at the nets practising for the next game.
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