The Art of Moving On

There is no formula for continuous and guaranteed success. In fact, the theory of probability suggests that the exact same outcome is unlikely for a particular process repeated multiple times. This means that no matter how hard one prepares for a task, there will always be days when things may not go well. The question then is how does one handle an off day? And how does one deal with it when their colleague ends up giving a great performance under the same conditions? Fortunately, during our recent trip to Doha to watch the Diamond League Athletics meet, we got an excellent demonstration of how to manage an outcome that did not pan out as planned.

Eldhose Paul: Commonwealth Games (2022) Gold Medalist in triple jump

It was a privilege to meet and interact with Eldhose Paul, Commonwealth games (2022) Gold Medalist in triple jump and the first ever Indian to qualify for World Athletics Championship final in the triple jump event. The competition in Doha was his debut at the Diamond League series, with the only other participant from the Indian contingent being the well-established athlete, Neeraj Chopra.

During our brief meeting with Eldhose before the event, we found him focused and relaxed. He was happy (and a little surprised 😊) to know that we had travelled from India to watch the event. He welcomed us cordially, obliged us with photographs and an autograph, and spent a few minutes talking about Indian athletics. He asked us if we managed to meet Neeraj and did not have any qualms about the much greater audience support that his colleague enjoyed. There seemed to be no signs of undue nervousness, comparisons, or pressure; there was only focus on preparations for the upcoming event.

Before the Diamond League event

On the Diamond League day, we could not see much of the triple jump event as our seats were away from the arena, but we followed the scores and waved India’s flag from a distance whenever Eldhose was up for his turn. He finished 10^th in an array of 11 jumpers and did not earn any points from the event. With a best jump of 15.84 m that evening, clearly it was not one of his best days as he has had several 16.0+ m jumps in the past. We did not see him after the competition and wondered what his post-event thoughts were.

Later that evening we received a very kind invitation from the JSW sports team to join a luncheon event the following day, where we would be meeting Eldhose along with Neeraj. We wondered if we would see a dejected, non-interactive Eldhose who would prefer recluse from public and social eye, or would we see the same Eldhose we had briefly interacted with before the event. How would an athlete of his stature come out after an off day, particularly when his compatriot had finished on top of the charts? Is it tough for a debutant, who is relatively new to the international circuit of competitions, to perform in the presence of a co-athlete who has been dominating his sport? Is it difficult to attend social events right after a competition that did not go as one might have hoped? With all these questions in mind, we looked forward to the interaction.

It was a delight to see Eldhose enter chin up with a smile and greet everyone warmly. He carefully answered all questions directed towards him and participated in the proceedings whole-heartedly. During the interaction, he explained that Doha Diamond League was a good exposure, and he takes back several learnings that he hopes to implement in future. He seemed reflective of his previous day’s performance, but not consumed by it.

There was a cake in celebration of Neeraj’s success at the event and both were invited to come upfront to cut it. Given that one athlete did not have the best of days while the other finished on top, it crossed our minds that this little celebration might make Eldhose, and maybe even Neeraj, awkward. However, it was heartwarming to see that neither of them were uncomfortable. Eldhose was genuinely happy for Neeraj’s success and Neeraj stayed humble without assuming a guest-of-honor label. It was a perfect demonstration of true sportsmanship.

Cake cutting to celebrate Neeraj's top finish in the javelin event at Doha

Speaking to his coach, Mr Harikrishna, we realized how Eldhose had managed to finish at the top of the Commonwealth Games podium despite his coach not being present due to visa delays. He recalled having guided his athletes during the competition through a phone call made on long jumper Mohammed Anees Yahiya’s phone who was watching from the stands. Smilingly he shared with us how he, with only 2 jumps left, had asked them to forget about techniques and just “jump like a madman”, which eventually led to the historic double medals in the triple jump event. The coach also explained about the tough training schedules and the disciplined lifestyle that these athletes need to follow to deliver a world class performance.

With Eldhose's coach Mr Harikrishna

As we chatted with the coach and learnt a lot about triple jump and other jumping events, we could see Eldhose and Neeraj interacting playfully with our son, which we were later told was all about his hairstyle! Eldhose seemed to have liked our son’s hair and was asking who helped him set it that way every day 😊 The jovial mannerism showed how truly calm he was.

With the Champions!

That day, we learnt a very important lesson amidst our various other learnings from the trip. It is as important to stay motivated during down phase as it is to stay humble during a successful one, because both are not permanent. This skill of moving on is something that our sportspersons have mastered and demonstrate all the time. While Neeraj was a perfect demonstration of humility during success, Eldhose was an excellent demonstration of calm during an unfavorable outcome, both being immensely important life lessons for everyone. 

The whole experience reminded me of a famous old Persian fable, where a king had summoned his wise men and asked them to create a ring with an inscription. He wanted the inscription to say something that would make him happy when he is sad and make him sad when he is happy. After much deliberation and thought, the sages came up with the words “This too shall pass”, and so all one needs to do, is just master the art of moving on!