The much-awaited biopic of MS Dhoni just released and it has opened to mixed reviews. The film obviously had a few shortcomings but, if you look past it all, the film does have a few lessons to take home. I mean, if the story of a pump operator’s son who went on to become the face of Indian cricket does not motivate, then we don’t know what will.
So, here are a few life lessons we learnt from the movie:
1. Shoot for the stars & always dream big
Dhoni’s father was a pump operator. When Dhoni got a job in the railways, he was more than happy. But, Dhoni had a bigger dream, a dream that led him to be India’s greatest cricket captain. It’s like they say, aim for the stars and you might just hit the moon.
2. You shouldn’t always listen to your parents
As a child, all Dhoni got from his dad was, “Khel khud apni jagah hai, lekin padhoge likhoge toh kisi layak banoge”. When Dhoni got a job offer from the Indian Railways, his dad was overjoyed and MSD took the job just to make his dad happy. But, when he realised that the job of a TC was holding him back, he immediately quit, despite his father’s protests. The rest, as we know, is history.
3. Stay humble & never stop learning from your peers
Dhoni had a reputation as an aggressive batsman from a very early age, but, he didn’t let his ego stop him from learning from others. He learned the helicopter shot from his friend, which later on became a trademark shot of Captain Cool.
4. Never let your opponents or your obstacles overwhelm you
While playing against Punjab, India’s star, Yuvraj Singh scored a mammoth individual innings of over 300 runs, more than the total Dhoni’s entire team posted. Dhoni was impressed by Yuvi’s skills but acknowledged that they lost the match even before it began, all because his team was blown away by Yuvraj’s attitude and reputation.
5. Accept your failures and learn from them
Dhoni was a cricket sensation in his school and everyone used to shower him with praise. However, when he didn’t make it to the U-19 team, everyone around him was disappointed, but, Dhoni decided to throw a party. Why? Because he appreciated the reality check of the snub and worked harder to get to where is now.
6. Never ever shy away from hard work
Dhoni used to finish his 3-hour-long examination in just 2 hours 30 minutes to go and practice with his club. He managed his studies and his passion together. Even after getting a full-time job, he never missed a practice session and that too after toiling hard at the railway station everyday.
7. It’s okay to feel disheartened sometimes
Dhoni did everything he could to make it to the Indian team, but, in the beginning things just did not work out for him. He was obviously disheartened but he didn’t give up. He kept going until he finally made it to the playing eleven of the men in blue.
8. Leave your comfort zone if you want to achieve something extraordinary
Dhoni had a permanent government job. His family was happy and he could have lived a well-off life too. But, he took a giant leap instead. He took the risk because he didn’t want to live the regular life.
9. Don’t care about what others will say and always follow your heart
Don’t ever overthink things too much and do what makes you happy. Dhoni never cared about what people would say. He travelled all the way to Delhi to meet his then girlfriend and later went to Aurangabad by road to spend some time with Sakshi. He was carefree and undeterred even after regular media interference.
10. Don’t let your personal life distract you from your professional life
Just before an all important Pakistan series, Dhoni’s late girlfriend asked, “Will you miss me?”, he said, “No, that will distract me.” It’s tough but if you want to give your 100%, you have to have a clear head. He was firm and cool-headed, even after the sudden and tragic demise of his girlfriend.
11. Having an attitude is good, but being modest and grounded will take you far
Dhoni never let the fame get to him and he never forgot his roots. And, if it wasn’t for his modesty, the first encounter with his present wife, Sakshi would have just been a disaster.
12. Never fear the hate you will get from taking tough decisions
The Indian cricket team was going through a changing phase and senior players were considered ‘slow’ compared to the young players of other teams. Dhoni knew if he wanted to win the 2011 World Cup he needed a young team. He went ahead and put forth his thoughts in front of the selection committee. Everyone hated him at first, but, it all worked out for the best.
13. Make sure you always have a hobby
Whenever Dhoni needed to unwind, he used to spend his time at the garage, modifying his bike, going on rides and buying new ones too. Having a hobby helped him cope up with the troubles of his professional life.
14. Don’t let go of your loyal friends, they are everything you need
MSD had talent, but, talent alone wasn’t able to take him to the pinnacle. The support of his loved ones was almost indispensable. Cricket was something for which his friends supported him more than his family ever could. He was also always there for them and didn’t forget them even after becoming a star.
15. Always keep improvising
India was chasing a big target in the World Cup final and after losing a few wickets in quick succession, there was a bit of panic in the dressing room. Yuvraj was padded up and ready to go. But, Dhoni took the gamble and promoted himself up the order and led the men in blue to the finish line in style.
