Imagination! Is it reliable?

Push yourself, because no one else is going to do it for YOU.

“Gujarat… Gujarat… Gujarat…!!!” People were chanting and things were going totally in there hands, when I got injured during my national final. I was sitting on the bench thinking about the result. To make it more clear let me take you to the journey in my past. That was the early morning of 29th November in 2018, my father came to me and said “Get up son it’s high time.” I woke up we all were sitting next to him and soon he received a call and then it turned into the most pleasurable day yet in my life. The call was from the sports committee who have selected me for the national tournament of football “Santosh Trophy”.

We all were happy, I started practicing with all my heart and soul and put my best in practice. The day of my first match came. I was nervous and thinking what if I lose it today all this practice all my faith and my time I have given to it will be nothing but just zero. I got frightened and the referee gave the starting whistle of the match. People around started chanting, some were in favor of us but some were in favor of our opponent. This all continued and it took me more than 15 min to come over my nervousness. The final whistle went we won the match. I was bit satisfied at that moment, it was like the all I practiced all I have given to it is paying back. My team did wonders in that tournament and the team for the first time in the history made its place in finals.

I was happy, no regrets yet. The day for the final match arrived, my team mates supported each other and we only got the vision to raise the trophy. The day was bright and it was all set to happen. We entered the field, I got nervous as it was huge crowd in the stadium. The first time I was playing at such level. Match started, all was going well till half time, as match resumed after the break I got injured. My team mates were worried as they lost a position and I was then replaced. Match started shifting to the opponent side and we conceded a goal. Sitting on the bench I was spectating my team mates and suddenly all over I started thinking “Am I doing right sitting here?” I went calm within the stadium where thousand were hauling and chanting. All of sudden my mind started imagining my father’s proud hug, my mother’s smiling face and everything which I’ll get soon I win this. I then started thinking “Why I am sitting on the bench if I want to make all that true which am imagining?” The answer came to me very clear that its because I have chosen this step for me and I am pushing back from the situation. “Was it the thing I have practiced a lot?” and now the answer was very clear to me “NO”. I stood up and asked for replacement again. I played and all that I imagined motivated me at such level that I was performing better then my usual performance. My captain then scored two goals back to back and we won the final match. The all I imagined sitting over the bench came true and the same situation was in front of my eyes when I reached back my home winning the tournament.

This incident made me realize one thing, it’s always us who pushes back neither the situation nor any person, imagine why you have stepped into this and just ask yourself one question before giving up “Was this all I thought before stepping in?”

-Shikhar Swami