The fear of failure

The one reason at the forefront for the yawning gap that exists between potential and performance has to be the fear of failure. The "What if this doesnt come off" probably ensures a lot of things that die out even before they are born. Because fear leads to doubt leads to tentativeness leads to failure.

How often - even in cricket (what else did you think this blog would draw parallels with?) - have we seen a fast bowler come charging down in a scenario with nothing to lose and give it his very best. A team batting first bowled out for 130 odd leaving very little chance for a victory - comes out knowing that while fielding there is nothing to be lost. And that liberation leads to the best coming out. The pacemen going all out - no one to block the boundaries - the fielders all in menacing attacking positions eager to snap up any chance that comes their way. Because there is no use in moping about the poor first inning now (the media will do it anyway) and hence seek whatever little joy they can bring their way with a spirited performance.

Sehwag has to be the best proponent of having no fear of failure (esp in test matches). He lives the moment - that particular ball. It never matters whether hitting this particular ball for what he believes it deserves causes a slide for the team. Or that foregoing the boundary here might set up the bowler to concede six later. He wants to cross those bridges when he comes to them and hence doesnt hesitate ever to make the most. The fear never exists because he has made his peace with the effort being worth it anyway

But it is perhaps this very fear of failure and the lack thereof that causes champions to fall to underdogs and for a bunch of no hopers to put one past the champions.

Logic and strength on paper would always mandate a champion victory. But then logic never accounted for the power that liberation from the fear of failure brings in. And ofcourse no body can ever account for spirit. Couple the two and you potentially have a bunch of impossible to explain results right on your hands. Why spot fix when the ROI on any betting would be infinite if only liberation and spirit were to be mixed.

As for me - i seek that liberation.