.jpg)
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.
10thSeptember, 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?
Also: The Story of the Courage of Kathrine Switzer
The Power of Belief ! (Roger Federer)
Alisa Kleybanova: The Fighter, The Survivor & The Player!
The Humble Rafa- Part I