A man on a journey undergoing a transformative experience in his life
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Disclaimer: The content of this blog post is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional and/or mental health advice.
Over the last month I have written a lot about the English Men’s Test cricket team and all things ‘Bazball’.
For those interested, check out all 4 parts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4).
After wrapping on this feature series, I once again reached the conclusion that if you sit down and think about it, cricket has some serious layers to it.
I am sure a lot of people would say the same thing about other sports too. Soccer, tennis, rugby, baseball, American football – you name it.
But there is something different about cricket as a sport.
The game is bigger than just ‘what ball am I going to bowl to this batter?’ or ‘should I turn the shiny side to the other side and get one to hoop back in now, or maybe in 2 balls’ time?’
And I don’t know about you, but even the mundane act of throwing on your whites emblazoned with your team’s crest can be more meaningful than you think.
Having played competitively for 17 years, I look back now at how a lot of my cricketing experiences, on and off the field, held within them life lessons. The sort of life lessons that you carry with you long after the winning runs have been hit and your tea money has been paid…if you pay tea money where you play.
In this post, I’m going to break down my top 6 life lessons cricket can teach us, as well as my interpretations of these based on the way I see things.
Life Lesson 1: The comeback is always greater than the setback
The confidence you carry yourself with is one of life’s ultimate prizes. It is a goal we all set ourselves – subconsciously or consciously – and one we strive to attain through various means.
Maybe it involves plugging in to an inspirational and motivational podcast that reinforces certain positive messaging. Or perhaps it is listening to speeches delivered by revered people in a specific field who have achieved things that you, one day, want to achieve yourself in that same field.
Whatever it is, self-belief is something we all want – to the point we even try and mask feelings of inferiority with a false bravado at times.
Without belief in ourselves, I believe we automatically place a cap on our potential.
So how does cricket factor into all this?
The notoriously lengthy durations of cricket games create the perfect training grounds to routinely conquer self-doubt
Unlike a lot of other sports, cricket is not over in a couple of hours. Most of us that have played cricket grew up competing in games that varied in length, from a few hours to an entire day.
On occasion, there was the odd 2-day game. And at the elite level, you can throw in 4- and 5-day matches.
That is a lot of time. A lot of time for things to go really well, but also a lot of time for things to go really bad. And when I say really bad, I mean really bad.
Dropping catches, a string of first-ball ducks, being left out of the side, getting sledged from the opposition, and loud criticism from vocal people on the outside.
Worse yet, if you make a string of mistakes within a game, there is no hiding place until that full game has concluded (which may still be several hours or even days away). You are still very much in the firing line.
Your mind begins to wander as that little voice starts to question your ability, weakening your self-confidence and causing you to ruminate.
However, moments like this mark the first step in levelling up as a player and as a person.
A solitary man ruminating as he tries to reignite the confidence in himself. Self-belief is an important life lesson cricket can teach us
Photo by Ramiro Pianarosa on Unsplash
Self-belief is everything
One day you are the talk of the town after an outrageous innings. The next, you find yourself in the doldrums after a string of poor performances and bad decisions.
When things go bad, are you going to let that belief in the ability you know you have take a hit?
Or are you going to keep getting back up knowing that you have what it takes to show yourself, and others, that you are not to be discounted?
They say adversity builds character and resolve.
Moments of intense disappointment and frustration let us dig a little deeper each time to help us remember that the lows are usually temporary. Sharp wake-up calls. They force us to positively reinforce what we are truly capable of, without losing faith in ourselves.
Developing strong self-belief, and holding on to that self-belief during the most harrowing times (no matter how drawn out they may be or how many of them come your way) can allow you to make amends and achieve great things in the future.
And this time, you will be stronger, wiser, and more resilient.
Never losing touch with your self-confidence, as well as your confidence in life’s timing, means you will always keep pushing to break through barriers – because you know one day, it will be your time again.
Much as in life, cricket can put you down and keep you down if you aren’t ready for it or if you aren’t prepared to fight.
The life lesson cricket can teach us is that the recognition of our own abilities, self-worth, and past achievements means the game of cricket, and the game of life, is never over until we decide it’s over.
Life Lesson 2: Your background and upbringing do not define you or dictate what you can achieve
Two of the world’s most topical issues are ‘equality’ and ‘equity’.
The ever-evolving landscape of social justice, filled with rapidly metamorphosing ideologies on what is considered ‘equality’ and ‘equity’, can be tricky terrain to navigate.
Regardless of organisations’ best efforts, there continues to be people from less affluent backgrounds who feel they have not been given an adequate shot to showcase their skills due to their circumstances.
Many of these people possess skills that match, or even surpass, those of their peers and contemporaries who have worked their way up conventional career ladders afforded to them by wealth, easy accessibility, or even nepotism.
To me, it seems common sense that the best person for the job should get the position. Period. I mean, should that not be the primary deciding factor?
Should it not be that easy?
Apparently this is not always the case on the job market in the traditional working world. But cricket has demonstrated what is possible if this mindset is championed.
Arguably cricket’s greatest side, the Australian team of 1999 to 2007 proved that if you simply pick the right person for the job, success is inevitable
What was once a game for the gentry and middle class, accompanied by the hackneyed tagline ‘cricket is a gentleman’s game’, has now grown far beyond such outdated barriers.
If I have seen one thing it is that no matter how full the family wallet is, or how many connections you might have in the big leagues, this has no bearing on a player’s innate talent and drive for betterment – the only 2 things that really matter on the cricket field, and in life.
Let me walk you through a few examples from one of the world’s most successful sports teams ever.
Steve Waugh, the leader of Australia’s most dominant cricketing dynasty, was in many ways preordained for higher honours; ‘cricketing royalty in waiting’, so to speak.
By the time he was 11 years of age, he had already represented New South Wales in soccer, tennis, and cricket.
Add to that a decorated family sporting history, it was as if Waugh was bound for greatness. His father, Rodger, was a domestic tennis icon, ranked (at one time) in the top 5 tennis players in Australia. His mother, Beverley, became Australia’s over 50s squash champion (in addition to also playing tennis at a high level).
Shane Warne, regarded as the nation’s best ever player, was the quintessential Aussie larrikin – someone who enjoyed life and everything it had to offer, but by no means someone who was destined to play for Australia.
In fact, Warne’s first love was Aussie Rules Football, something he wasn’t quite cut out for. It just so happened he was pretty handy bowling leg spin.
Image showing different currencies from around the world. Wealth does not impact a person’s talent, a life lesson cricket can teach us
Photo by John McArthur on Unsplash
Glenn McGrath hailed from a small town in New South Wales and was a country boy at heart.
Some accounts state that due to his family’s financial situation in his early years McGrath would only eat a Mars bar for dinner on occasion.
Additionally, it is well documented (or perhaps now folklore in cricketing circles at this point) how he lived alone out of a caravan for 13 months when he looked to forge his state career with New South Wales.
Lastly, there was Andrew Symonds. Born in Birmingham, England, Symonds never knew his biological parents. Their mixed ethnicity (African-Caribbean and Scandinavian) opened him up to racist taunts.
He was adopted by an English couple, Ken and Barbara, who later emigrated to Australia with Symonds when he was less than 2 years of age.
Even after establishing himself as a pillar of the Australian team, he faced remarks which were regarded by many as racial slurs. But on the field, he remained one of Australia’s greatest weapons and match winners during their era of unrivalled domination.
We all bleed red, irrespective of whether you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth or if you have fallen on hard times
As I hope the short case study above showed, it is that heritage and tradition, ancestral background and ethnicity, family achievements, and expectation do not equate to entitlement to a position.
Similarly, a person’s circumstance has no bearing on the natural talent they have.
Each of the 4 players highlighted in the section above – Waugh, Warne, McGrath, and Symonds – earned their positions in the team through the blood, sweat, and tears they poured into their work and the consistency of their performances.
At the end of the day, it is what we do with our time and effort in the ‘now’ that counts. Because once that playing field (no pun intended) becomes level, it doesn’t matter who you know or where you came from.
The life lesson cricket can teach us in this instance is simple. Be it in cricket or another facet of life, when it comes down to business the only thing that matters is your individual dedication to your craft and the results next to your name.
Life Lesson 3: No human is an island
Cricket is interesting in that it is as much a team game as it is an individual sport.
Yes, you take the field as 11 members of a unified team. And yes, you all wear the same colour jerseys with the same team crest.
But every act of a cricket game hinges upon the execution of one individual’s skill at a time.
Cricket forces you to call the shots on your own, but it also confirms that you can always use an ‘assist’ at some point
As the bowler, you get 6 balls at a time to try and pick up a wicket. Then your teammate gets a shot to do the same at the other end.
Sure, you have the rest of your team fielding for you, watching your back in case you stray. Despite this though, they are only limited to an assisting role – assisting you and the plays you decide to make with ball in hand.
Nonetheless, they are still there to assist when required – something that should not be forgotten.
With the bat, it is wholly and solely on you to hit the ball you face. After you take guard and look up as the bowler hares in, it all rests on your shoulders.
No one is going to help you, specifically, score runs.
Long hours at the crease or in the field mean that, as a bowler or batter, you have extended periods where it is all on you to deliver the goods.
That said, the runs you accumulate and the wickets you pick up also put your team in strong positions. And by working with your teammates, who themselves are fighting their own personal battles when they are up to bat or bowl – just like you in the scenarios above – both you and the team can keep moving forward.
Nailing personal goals is pretty sweet, don’t get me wrong. We are all trying to grind and hustle to make something of ourselves.
Be that as it may, collective success can taste just as sweet as personal bests if you open yourselves up to that possibility.
Life offers many opportunities for both personal and team wins. There is nothing wrong in wanting to be part of both.
Cricket serves as a sanctuary for both the ‘lone wolf’ and the consummate ‘team player’ archetypes to co-exist and thrive within the same team – a model applicable to life too
There are those of us who prefer to work alone, while others enjoy the camaraderie and interpersonal connections that come with teamwork.
What does cricket teach us about these two personality types?
The ‘lone wolf’ archetype can only do so much in cricket, even if they are a generational talent. Essentially, they are just one player in the XI.
So unless they exclusively hit boundaries or clean bowl all the opposition batters, they are still relying on external factors in some way to get them to where they want to be.
Running between the wickets requires your batting partner to cooperate for a run to officially count. Most modes of dismissal require the umpire or fielders to help you, the bowler, out.
Basically, no matter how much of a ‘lone wolf’ a player is, there are always times when an ‘assist’ has moved them to the next milestone on their journey.
Picture of a lone wolf in the wilderness. A life lesson cricket can teach us is that the ‘lone wolf‘ and ‘team player‘ can come together when there is a common goal
Photo by Michael LaRosa on Unsplash
From a team perspective, when the ‘lone wolf’ and the ‘team players’ begin to support one another, the boundaries for the team become limitless.
In short, I believe cricket teams show that both personality types can co-exist and complement each other, if the conditions are right and a mutual understanding of your individual approaches is established.
Given a chance, the same can be true in broader life. On a day-to-day basis we encounter people who fall into these two archetypes, and sometimes the ‘lone wolf’ gets a bad rap for not being collaborative.
Using the framework of a cricket team, I would argue there is room for both the ‘lone wolf’ and the ‘team player’ to flourish, cooperatively, within a team setting.
The life lesson cricket can teach us is that we each can only do so much on our own. It is often when we allow a helping hand into our lives, here and there, that we achieve our proudest feats.
And by reciprocating this gesture, others too can prosper.
Think about it. How many things can each of us honestly say we have wholly and solely achieved on our own from start to finish?
Life Lesson 4: Embracing different people, different cultures, and different perspectives
One of cricket’s greatest selling points is that it is an international game, first and foremost.
Why is this important?
It means one of the sport’s biggest attractions is its accessibility to different countries, cultures, and peoples.
Essentially, we are all part of the same race – the human race. At least that’s the way I see it. Representing the human race, however, is a broad spectrum of people who do things very differently to you or I.
More interestingly is the fact that they have all gained success – whatever that means to them – through a myriad of practices, many of which have been shaped by their native conditions and ways of thinking and learning.
A team sport, such as cricket, is just a microcosm of all this.
Aside from a shared love of the game, every person in a cricket team has their own story
Among the 11 players taking the field, no one person will be the same.
Sure, a few of you may have a similar sense of humour. You and your best mate in the team will probably have a few shared likes and dislikes.
Beyond these surface-level commonalities though is where the life lesson lies – the fact that a cricket team is composed of 11 distinct human beings.
What makes each of us truly unique is what we hold inside, and the things that have shaped us and made us the way we are. It is that intangible quality that makes us tick.
We might all meet up once a week on a Saturday to play cricket. But away from the field, everyone has their own lives, their own hobbies, their own values, and their own ways of living.
To me it is kind of cool that, despite our individuality, we can still come together when there is a common goal.
A group made up of people with identical experiences and perspectives does not always mean the path to success is smoother
If everyone talks the same, behaves the same, and believes the same, this very quickly conjures an illusion that suggests ‘a path of least resistance’ is the optimal way to success.
But in a lot of ways, this is a limiting factor and introduces staleness and a sameness to proceedings.
Evolution and growth occurs when something is forced to change. This could involve a change in perspective, a change in mentality, or a change in physically performing a given task in order to reap greater rewards.
In cricket, there is an inherent demand for variety. Every team requires players to fulfil 4 core disciplines: batting, pace bowling, spin bowling, and wicketkeeping.
What separates the good from the great within these disciplines, however, is that individuality and authenticity each player is born with and brings to the table.
From a cricketing viewpoint, some are physically stronger while others are more skilled. Some handle pressure better in tense moments while others require support from their batting or bowling partner.
Examining things through a more personal lens, you may have one player who is naturally an extravagant extrovert while another is a major introvert.
Image showing the hands of human beings of different ethnicities and genders. A life lesson cricket can teach us is that there is always value in embracing a range of perspectives that come from people with differing backgrounds
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Judging character and understanding what makes each individual who they instinctively are is paramount in both cricket and life.
In a functioning team, be it in the whites or in a suit and tie, this ability of acknowledging the distinguishable qualities of individuals while still ensuring cooperation within the collective is invaluable.
Encountering someone who has this skill can have profound effects on the development of a person. It is the first step in allowing us to, without fear of rejection, put forward who we really are without fear of being sidelined – both as a player and just generally as a human being.
The life lesson cricket can teach us here is that when you welcome this style of thinking into a team sport or corporate unit, and allow the different people to coalesce organically, the level of growth and success can be huge.
It is something great leaders have always managed to do.
In addition, I am willing to bet that every person within such an environment walks away with a new take on something – a take they may well apply to something in their own lives at a later date.
Life Lesson 5: The significance of belonging
Not to get too philosophical, but we all want to feel like we belong, don’t we?
Whether that is finding somewhere that accepts us for who we are, or a workplace that values our trade and allows us to thrive in our chosen profession.
Whatever it is, that sense of belonging is something most of us crave at some point or other in our lives.
Discovering the ‘right’ community that is attuned to what it is you seek deep down can be fulfilling
For a lot of people, turning out for your cricket team is just a summer hobby. Something we look forward to at the weekend. It is a chance to smash a few and have a laugh with our mates within a like-minded community that is unified by a common passion for the sport.
But for some, it can mean a whole lot more. I have encountered many teammates in my time playing for various teams and clubs who viewed cricket as their escape from the monotony and stresses of ‘the real world’.
Picture this.
Through Monday to Friday, they have to negotiate a whole host of personal struggles away from the village green. It could be burnout at the office. Maybe there are some strained interpersonal relationships at work to boot. To top things off, perhaps things are not so great at home.
Things are all a bit too much.
But come Saturday, cricket acts as an outlet to distract them from or subdue those stresses; a chance to exorcise the pain and discomfort they endure away from their teammates.
For that day (and maybe Sunday too), cricket becomes their life. A bit of exercise, raucous laughter, food, drink, and unwavering friendship – nothing else for those days.
It might sound a bit over the top, but I have seen and known fellow teammates go through this first hand.
Picture of two male friends. A life lesson cricket can teach us is that a sense of community can extend beyond your place of work or the sports team you play for
Photo by NONRESIDENT on Unsplash
Sometimes, your teammates (or workmates) can become your ‘ride-or-die’ mates
A joint sense of community is extremely powerful in cricket. It brings together people from all walks of life and lays the platform for stronger friendships to be forged.
Before you know it, you start to chill with them outside of the weekend. If you get lucky with choosing a solid cricket club, these people, who were once just teammates, become genuine, loyal, and trustworthy friends and confidants: your ‘ride-or-dies’.
That is one thing about cricket, and sport in general. The ‘clubs’ you play for become more than just the physical and legal recognition of a sporting entity that has been signed up to a league.
When you find that perfect fit, a cricket club becomes, dare I say, a surrogate ‘family’ (a label that is thrown around far too much in today’s corporate world, but on this occasion it feels somewhat apt).
We should never rule out the power that a sense of community and togetherness can have on people.
This also applies to life generally. When all is said and done, we are all human beings looking to survive and have some fun along the way.
Part of the life lesson cricket can teach us here is that if you find a place where you feel accepted and respected, don’t be so scared to let those people in to more of your life if they are truly trustworthy.
It could just end up being the start of a lifelong bond.
By the same token, while we all seek to find that sense of belonging and community ourselves, we should also strive to make others feel welcome too – those who are seeking that same sense of belonging as us.
Life Lesson 6: Putting in the work while valuing your strengths and accepting your weaknesses
Like anything in life, you cannot get anywhere in cricket without putting in the work. On top of this, you have to remain patient throughout the process.
Given how arduous cricket is, natural talent will only get you so far. But if you want to be the best version of yourself and remain at the top of your game for as long as you can, then you have to take it further.
Whether it is cricket or another part of your life, you need to be driven to show up every day
Many view cricket as just a game.
But if it is something more to you and you have lofty aspirations, then you have to treat it as a career from the get-go and do everything you can to set yourself up for steady progress.
This means having good, solid, and consistent practices. Ticking off all your fitness goals. Turning up to the nets to work on your skills – batting, bowling, and fielding. Self-analysing performances to make sure you continue to develop as a player.
Slacking off in any of these areas, and any others not mentioned above, means you will ultimately be short-changing yourself.
Just remember this.
As a batter, only a rare few are technically gifted through and through. Off the top of my head, Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis come to mind – but even they had struggles on the field despite their natural abilities.
Among the bowlers, nearly every international superstar has at some point experienced lows: issues with their bowling action biomechanics, lack of wicket-taking potential, loss of pace. The list goes on.
This is why it is a non-negotiable to put in the ‘hard yards’ (to use the exact cricketing lingo).
Some of the world’s best players have been those who were restricted by their natural talent but who, through regular practice and motivation, kept levelling up despite their shortcomings.
The same goes for anything you want to achieve in life. If it is important to you, then you will soon realise that there is no substitute for hard work.
And even after you do all this, there are still no guarantees; that is where a smidgen of good luck and fate (if you believe in those things) come into it.
People sometimes say they create their own luck through their discipline, devotion, and hard work. Maybe there is something to that, maybe there isn’t.
Whatever your views are, the work and intensity needed to move towards your final destination – in cricket or in life general – must come from you.
Image of a boxer and his sparring partner training with intensity. Consistent hard work and dedication for long periods of time are key, which is a life lesson cricket can teach us
Photo by Johann Walter Bantz on Unsplash
Identifying your strengths and weaknesses early means you can streamline your developmental plan
None of us are perfect. We all have flaws – or what we deem to be flaws.
Cricket shows that we don’t have to be the perfect product in every discipline, or any chosen discipline, to have success.
Batters come in all shapes and sizes, equipped with a range of skills that suit certain types of play. The same goes for bowlers – some swing it, some bowl fast, others spin it.
No-one can do it all, in and out of cricket.
Finding your calling is a major step on the path to success, but recognising your strengths and weaknesses helps you to put in place a tailored strategy early if you wish to.
Devising a tailored and focussed strategy allows you to hone your chosen skill, and your strengths, more efficiently. It can also make you feel more comfortable in your skin knowing that, when it comes game time, your strengths are capable of withstanding anything that is thrown your way.
An approach like this also prevents you from wasting time on things that may not get you far. Despite our best efforts and intentions, some of us are just not cut out for certain things – that is part of life.
It just means we can make up for it by excelling in something we do better than the next person.
That is not to say self-improvement in weak areas is a no-go. Accepting weaknesses and deficiencies is a sign of humility (a great quality in anyone) and opens your eyes to the bigger picture about yourself and where you need to level up.
However, conducting a mental ‘energy needed vs benefit’ analysis of sorts when choosing the areas you want to focus on may not be the worst thing given how valuable time is.
Balance is the secret sauce in all of this, along with a level head to rationally weigh up the pros and cons.
Time on this spinning rock is short. It is up to you whether you want to focus exclusively on your strengths, stand out from the crowd, and carve out a niche for yourself, or spend the time to become more of a dependable all-rounder (again, excuse the pun).
Whatever avenue you choose, the life lesson cricket can teach us is straightforward: know your strengths, and understand that hard work, consistency, and patience should not falter through the inevitable setbacks that will come your way.
Concluding remarks
Cricket is a sport, played by players, who are also just human beings.
Therefore, it is no surprise why sport and sportspeople are looked up to as sources of inspiration. Given the trials and tribulations are often analogous to those observed in life, so too are the lessons that can be learned from them.
When I started to draw parallels between sport and broader elements of my general life, I started to become more accepting of the peaks and troughs life throws our way.
It crystallised the importance of the things that mean the most to me, and continues to reinforce the steps I need to take to keep levelling up in the way I want to level up as a person.
So, what life lessons have you learned from cricket or any other sport?
DISCLAIMER
The posts published on this blog are intended simply to provide some food for thought for fellow cricket fans across the world. This is a place which respects and enjoys all cricketers from all nations and, as such, does NOT aim to solely vilify any specific person or team.
Differing opinions and lively debates are more than welcome. However, personal attacks and abuse of any kind will NOT be tolerated here.
Thanks for your understanding.
A good take on sport’s influence in life…👍
Very interesting reading
Thank you, Uncle!
Glad you enjoyed.
These lessons can be implemented in every part of our lives, with or without sports. I use many of your suggestions on my spiritual path. Thank you for your valuable insight. Much love <3
Thanks, Sasha. I agree, there is a lot around us that can be implemented into our everyday lives if we change the way we look at things. I know you do a lot of awesome work with people and helping them too, so please keep doing what you do.
I love that you’ve been able to relate cricket to “real life”. You are clearly very passionate about it and it shows in your writing.
Cheers, Kate. Appreciate that, and I am glad that passion is not being lost in my writing.