Last month, the world lost an iconic individual in Kobe Bryant. Along with him were three budding young players, including his 13-year old daughter, a coach, three other parents, and their pilot. All perished in the horrific helicopter crash. We pray for their souls to rest in peace. Just from the outpouring of support, one realizes how many lives these individuals touched just through their daily work – primarily sports. No wonder sports is called the great unifier; it cuts across boundaries of race, language, religion, and nations. At the same time, winning at all costs blemishes sports. Over the years numerous athletes and teams have cheated, which raises doubts in the minds of fans. Worse is there are likely several others who have escaped being caught. Therefore it is important that right from an early age we teach children to focus on the work. Everything else is a by-product. The titles, medals, money, awards, and luxuries don’t matter unless the focus is on work. The important thing is you don’t set out to be a super athlete, rich or popular. You get there by doing the work, making the right choices. Death, especially an untimely one, teaches us that tomorrow is not guaranteed. All we have is this moment. Can we maximize each moment and stay focused on our work? That intensity can only come if one loves what they are doing in their chosen field. That’s got to be the starting point. The rest will flow from there. Once we imbibe and believe in the principle of work, success is bound to follow. We all, to some degree, have been reflecting these past few weeks on where we each stand in our lives. It doesn’t matter if we are an athlete, a doctor, an engineer or any profession, the fundamental questions are the same.
Do you love what you do?
Can you stay focused on your work?
Are you able to sacrifice everything else?
Your answer to these three questions will determine how much of your potential you will fulfill. In the end, life itself is an individual sport for all of us. It all depends on how we play it. We can all be iconic.