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This article was first published 10 years ago

7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Last updated on: October 21, 2013 20:46 IST

Image: Boys from a local cricket academy wearing masks of Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, celebrate his 100 international centuries in Agartala, capital of India's northeastern state of Tripura March 17, 2012. After waiting more than a year, Tendulkar finally became the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries during an Asia Cup one-day match against Bangladesh.
Photographs: Jayanta Dey/Reuters Varun Deshpande, Courtesy TopTalent.in

Follow these seven amazing principles from the Master Blaster's life and carve a niche for yourself.

I pity the next generation currently in their nappies who would never understand why their forefathers, irrespective of their religion, considered one man as their God.  

They would never understand why more than a billion souls prayed together so that one man could stand his ground.

They would never understand the hopelessness we felt when this man started walking back to his dressing room.

So don't even try explaining them what we might feel when this God of cricket would make us skip a few heartbeats one last time.

But what they should know is what made a simple human being with flesh and bones, an immortal.

There is a Sachin in each one of us and our job is to nurture him.

There are few things which we can learn from this great man to better ourselves at whatever we do.

Here are the seven things you should do to embrace the Sachin in you.

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7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Image: Sachin Tendulkar in his younger days
Photographs: Ben Radford/Allsport/Getty Images

1. ALWAYS be humble

The number of records this Little Master has made is in itself a record but you don't find even a tinge of arrogance when he walks on the field with the same determination and concentration as if he was playing his first match.

He has taught us that whatever you achieve in life is because of the blessings and sacrifices of a whole lot of people around you, be it your teachers, coaches, family etc.

In your career if you are humble your colleagues will appreciate your talent but if you are a prick they would call you names behind your back.

Humbleness is the most important trait if you want to be successful in life.

When we think of Sachin the thing that comes to our mind apart from his fabulous leg glance is his childlike smile.

As Andrew Symonds wrote on an Aussie t-shirt he autographed specially for Sachin -- 'To Sachin, the man we all want to be'.

7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Image: Despite a back injury, Tendulkar scored 136 vs Pakistan at Chennai, January 1999
Photographs: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

2. NEVER Give Up.

Sachin has made a come back when everyone thought he was down and out.

Life has never been a fairy tale for Sachin. It never usually is.

He has had his fair share of failures. Injuries and bad form have haunted him.

He has got out 34 times (14 in test matches and 20 in one-day matches) on duck. But he never gave up.

Today, we don't remember his failures rather we remember the man who made everyone smile every time he walked on the field.

He never stopped believing himself and worked even harder to bounce back stronger than ever.

When you face any difficulties in your career, remember that this is just another step towards success.

Such times call for more hard work, dedication and belief in yourself in order to overcome these hurdles.

So never give up when the times are tough as the night is darkest before the dawn and the dawn is coming.

7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Image: Sachin Tendulkar at a traning session
Photographs: Reuters

3. Work hard. EVERYDAY

Sachin has been playing cricket from the age of eight.

Since then he has been the most hard working student of the game.

In his early years his coach used to make him play three games with three different teams everyday.

Even today he puts equal efforts against every team be it Kenya or England.

His teammates are surprised to see him arrive at the nets even before them and constantly working on improving his technique.

Now, even Sir Don Bradman would agree that Sachin has the best technique in the world. So why not just sit back and relax?

Well, this is not what legends are made of.

You should put in your 100 per cent everyday irrespective of what results you are getting so that at least at the end of the day you know you tried your best.

That's what Sachin has taught us all through these years.

7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Image: Sachin Tendulkar relaxes during a 1993 World Cup match; despite a leg injury, he scored 98 off 75 balls
Photographs: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

4. Be CALM under pressure

We will never know what carrying the hopes of more than a billion people on your shoulders must be like but I am sure it is nothing less than terrifying.

Irrespective of this we have never seen him getting annoyed by all this pressure.

He is the calmest player on the field hardly reacting to whatever is happening but slowly soaking in everything in his own way.

You would have project deadlines, promotion expectations, family pressure but every time you feel irritated by all this, think about how Sachin would react in this situation.

If you can be calm under such circumstances half the battle is already won and now you have one less thing to worry about.

We mortals obsess over small things which burden us but if you truly idolise Sachin you should learn to be calm under whatever pressure life might put you through.

7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Image: Tendulkar scored 118 runs vs Pakistan leading India to victory at Sharjah in April 1996
Photographs: Reuters

5. Be PASSIONATE about your work

'I can be hundred per cent sure that Sachin will not play for a minute longer when he is not enjoying himself. He is still so eager to go out there and play. He will play as long as he feels he can play’ -- Anjali Tendulkar.

At 40, Sachin is still passionate about the game he started playing when he was eight.

For 32 long years he has been passionate about one thing and that is to play for his country.

If you can instill even 1 per cent of the passion he possesses in your work you would be a superstar at your workplace.

Be passionate and proud about your contribution however little it might be.

As the Pakistani legend Imran Khan put it perfectly 'Sachin’s passion was what set him apart from the rest'.

When one is passionate about one’s game, hard work becomes fun, and those long hours at the nets seem interesting and challenging rather than routine and monotonous.

This passion helped Sachin tighten his technique and gave him the temperament to manage his innings well.

7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Image: Sachin Tendulkar celebrates with team mates after dismissing Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq
Photographs: Arko Datta/Reuters

6. Be a TEAM player

In times of crisis there is only one person the team turns to and that is Sachin Tendulkar.

He is a selfless player who puts the team in front of himself.

He has gone on record to say that even if he doesn't play well but the team goes on to win, he would be the happiest person.

He captained India during a leadership crisis, he bowled when India needed a wicket, he fielded spectacularly saving valuable runs, he has done it all just to see his team triumph.

When your fellow co-workers are in need, lend your support.

Do not hesitate to pull an all-nighter so that you can get someone else's work done.

They would remember this kind gesture for a lifetime.

Put your team and team members ahead of any personal goals and only then would you earn respect from your teammates.

As Rahul Dravid once said 'Even if my grandchildren don't remember the fact that I scored 10,000 runs in one day and test cricket, they will surely talk about the fact that I was a teammate with Sachin Tendulkar.'

7 lessons you can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's life

Image: Sachin Tendulkar poses with the 2011 World Cup trophy
Photographs: Ritam Banerjee/Getty Images

7. Be a ROLE MODEL

One of the greatest contributions of Sachin to Indian cricket is that he is leaving behind a legacy which everyone wants to emulate.

This legacy would inspire and produce great players for years to come.

With your actions and deeds over the years you should aim to become a role model for your subordinates so that a culture of excellence sets into your organisation.

It might take years for you to become one but every step you take should be a step in that direction because that's the ultimate thing you can leave behind.

Today when we see that everyone is after materialistic goals and as India lacks true heroes, Sachin is the hero we deserve.

'We have had champions, we have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never will' -- TIME magazine.