As parents, we often teach our kids all about experimenting, and the taste of success and why they should reach for the skies. We give them the opportunities they seek and guide them through their journey. But how prepared are our kids to handle the concept of failure? The thought of even discussing failure when we embark on something is still a taboo and we fail to approach the issue practically.
Sourav Ganguly, one of India’s most successful cricket captains has proven to be an inspiration for an entire generation of young cricketers such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. Speaking at the recent #HaarKoHarao event organised by Surf Excel India, Ganguly spoke on the importance of teaching kids about failure and why success shouldn’t be treated with a lot of importance. As parents, these words make so much sense as we can teach our kids and prepare them right for the journey of life.
Failure is a term that we use when we stop trying! @SurfexcelIndia what a brilliant campaign! #HaarKoHarao pic.twitter.com/1xe1YeOMY9
— Kidsstoppress.com (@Kidsstoppress) November 30, 2017
“Success or failure didn’t impact us as kids”
Ganguly explained how, like in every typical Indian household, there was pressure to study and score marks from his moms and how his dad allowed him to go ahead with his passion for sports.
What mattered was playing, he says and how they never got judged by successes or failures in his generation.
Tell your kids where they lack when they fail
Ganguly recollected his personal experience when he faced a slump in his career, his father advised him to revisit his techniques and practise more to find out where he was getting it all wrong. There is no need for parents, to sugar quote advise.
“Just teach kids what is right and what is wrong. Tell them in a nice way that they will understand” the legend explains.
Why you need to be mentally strong:
Having led an illustrious career, Ganguly explains how failure is never easy to accept. He explains wonderfully when he says you don’t feel tired after success (scoring a double hundred), but how a failure can drain you of your energy and strength. On one such occasion when he couldn’t find out where he went wrong, he decided to take a break, rest his mind and body and after 2 full days of only sleep and practise, he says he was fresh and raring to go.
The mistakes were spotted and the bad form ended- all because he was no mentally fresh.
“In a team environment when your players are not giving their best you as a leader need to give them a push so they can reinvent themselves”. On what defines a true leader- @SGanguly99 at #HaarKoHarao event. @SurfexcelIndia #Inspiration #CreatingWorldChampions pic.twitter.com/uIeVgBCbW7
— Kidsstoppress.com (@Kidsstoppress) November 30, 2017
The parallel roads of success and failure:
Ganguly explains that success and failure run parallelly in the journey of life and we need to find our right path. “We prepare ourselves for success, but the best way to deal with the outcome of any competitive situation is to prepare your mind for that.
When you visualize what you want to achieve in your mind, your dream automatically translates into your performance. So nothing will come as a shock to you.”
The cycle of doing what you do right:
When you succeed, it is easy to oversee your flaws. Only when we fail, we halt and look at the path we have travelled and analyse our rights and wrongs.
Failure is all about “waking up (to the realities), addressing the issues, finding a way to solve them, going to bed and getting up (the next morning) and doing the same thing again” he explains.
“When you are not being selected for your skills and opportunities, it’s hard!” @SGanguly99 at the #HaarKoHarao event.@SurfexcelIndia #CreatingWorldChampions pic.twitter.com/ABv0dYoy4P
— Kidsstoppress.com (@Kidsstoppress) November 30, 2017
One of the biggest names in the sport also had a word of caution for today’s youngsters about not mixing up holiday and work. He explains how you can take a break and go on a holiday, but when you are back to work, give it your 100%. True words from an inspiring sportsman.
Rati Ramadas Girish
Janani S Koushik
KSP Team
Mansi Zaveri
Rati Ramadas Girish
Mansi Zaveri
