You probably haven’t heard of a cricketing hero called Hokaito Zhimomi.
He is a star all right, the greatest cricketer his state has produced. He’s idolized by fans and is an inspiration to young players in his homeland. Now you must be wondering which country he plays for and how come you haven’t heard of him. Well, here’s his claim to fame. In 2008, Hokaito became the first cricketer from Nagaland to make it to the big league when he was selected to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
It doesn’t matter that he has never played for India. He is a hero in his own right; the village lad who worked his way to the top and became an inspiration for sportspersons in the region. It doesn’t matter that after being picked for the team, Hokaito missed out on a place in the final eleven and did not get to play a game for the Knight Riders. Just being out there, practising in the playing area of Eden Gardens on match days, was achievement enough for Hokaito. Getting the opportunity to share the team bus, the hotel and the nets with his childhood idols made him feel like he was in seventh heaven. All those years of hard work spent sweating it out in the playing fields of Dimapur were finally paying off.
Hokaito himself speaks with visible pride about his journey, the trials and tribulations, and the final recognition. And he hopes it inspires other players in Nagaland to reach for the stars too. You can imagine how proud Hokaito’s family and friends must have felt. They’d probably be showing pictures of their Hokaito listening intently to advice from Sourav Ganguly or standing tall next to Ricky Ponting. They’d perhaps be showing footage of those pre-match moments from Kolkata Knight Riders games to visitors. It’d probably have fleeting images of Hokaito at the nets with all those stars, being watched by adoring crowds.
Now if you think about it, there are two ways of looking at Hokaito’s career. You could see him as a cricketer who was not only not quite good enough to play for India, but who also failed to get a game for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Or you could see him as the little kid from Nagaland who grew up to become the first Naga to be part of an IPL team. You could view him as a failure or as a success.
Which way would you look at him? More importantly, which way do you look at your own life and career? As a story of what you missed out on? Or what you achieved? Hokaito sees himself as a success. How about you?
Not everyone can become an India player. Or be ranked first in class. Or become a CEO. But that does not make your achievements any less significant. And surely that should not stop you from trying and giving your best. Run your own race. Don’t compare yourself with others. Doing well in class is important. You don’t have to rank first. Being a successful manager is big. You don’t have to be the CEO. Just being Hokaito is a big enough deal. Not everyone can be a Tendulkar!
There was a Nike ad with an oft-quoted, tantalizingly powerful line: ‘You don’t win silver. You lose gold.’ Now that’s a truly inspiring line to push you to win the ultimate prize. But it’s probably not the best way to measure your success in life. There will always be something bigger and better that you missed out on. Maybe as a kid you dreamed of getting a motorbike. Later, when you got your first car—a second-hand Maruti 800—you celebrated, and as you went up the corporate ladder, the titles got bigger, as did the cars. Now you could look back and feel good about what you’ve achieved. Or look longingly at that friend from B-school who drives that snazzy BMW 7 series and wonder, ‘How come I didn’t make it?’ If you look hard, you will almost always find someone ahead of you. Don’t compare yourself with others; just aim to be the best you can be.
Learning to find happiness is the key. It is entirely in your hands. Celebrate your success and your achievements. Don’t worry about the one that got away.
Maybe there’s a message for all of us in a recent study of Olympic athletes. They discovered that bronze medallists were a far happier lot than silver medallists—the folks who finished one place ahead of them. The reason? Apparently, while the silver medallists kept thinking about how they missed the gold, the bronze medallists were thinking, ‘Wow, I made it and now have something to show for my efforts!’ They felt grateful that at least they won something!
As you look back on your life, be grateful for the bronze you’ve won.
Just be the best you can be. Run your own race.
How do you look at your own life and career? As a story of what you missed out on? Or what you achieved?
Learning to find happiness is the key. It is entirely in your hands. Run your own race. Celebrate your success and your achievements. Don’t worry about the one that got away.