By Yash Kumar
I do not know how emotional to make this, or how motivational; but I guess the most inspiring stories are the ones that have the right amount of emotions blended into the right proportion, which is what I’ll try to do. I find it ironic that I am trying to inspire you because I have not really achieved that much till now, but I hope that by sharing my highs and lows as a student and as a sportsman, you relate to it in a way that does manage to inspire you.
My name is Yash Kumar, and this is my story.
The last five years of my life have been great, and I am glad I’ve experienced a few things which have given me so much joy. Of course, it goes without saying that there have been some pretty bad phases too. I’ve lost friends who I thought will be there for a long time. Having said that, I have not been the kindest either, I know I have hurt people. Everyone reading this has or will come across fake friends at some point. They will experience betrayal and heartbreak.
My advice? Do not try to prevent that from happening. You’ll need pain. You need it to grow as a person. I have gone through it as well, but I do not regret it at all. Experiencing all of this gives clarity on who and what really matters.
My method of overcoming betrayal and pain was trusting that all of this is a process, and the end product of this process would put me in this beautiful place where I’d have the important things that would make me happy. Trust me, it helped, it really did. I would not say I am the happiest of people around, but being optimistic cuts down on the toxicity and gloominess. There is so much out there to explore that awaits you, so many adventures to be a part of. Maybe, the people who have hurt you are not meant to be in your life, and that is okay. You’ll get used to it. Treasure your self-respect and self-worth over anything and anyone.
Often, we use pain as a coping mechanism and as a source of motivation. We’d want to chase success because it would show the person that hurt us, that they have made a huge mistake to cause us pain. I, however, do not think it is the right thing to do in the long run.
Pain is not the right source to draw motivation from, as it is short-lived; and the stamina in your motivation is more important than the intensity of the motivation.
I used it as a source of motivation too, and it helped me for a while. But as time went by, I could sense that I was not feeling good from within. It was like this source was feeding on me to a point where it totally consumed me. My productivity drastically reduced, and I did not feel like doing anything anymore. I hated the feeling of not feeling anything; of being emotionally numb. However, this is how I obtained the mindset of trusting the process, and it came to me naturally because I could not stand this version of myself; I needed to change, and the only way of doing so was by enjoying precious little things in life even more, like waking up early to play football and spending more time with the 4 to 5 friends that I know are not fake. As time went by, I could see the difference within me. I realized that my experiences started to bring about a change in me for the better. I have become more invested in things that matter, and this was only possible because of the mindset that I had adopted.
This mindset made me understand what matters, which in-turn gave me the right source of motivation.
My motivation was to become a person that happiness came to and not someone who begged for it. I do not think I am that person yet, but baby steps. I am trusting the process, as should you.
You should want success so that you are proud of yourself after all is said and done. It is simple, You matter, your mental health matters, not the people that hurt you. In 5 years, they’ll be buried in your mind somewhere. Do not let them affect you now. Do your own thing. Find your purpose, because we all have one. Let the hunger of achieving your purpose consume you, not the pain. Focus on making memories with the right people, not with a lot of people.
Being a part of such an honourable football team like Greenwood High has been so important to me. Getting a chance to play under a coach like Sudhakar Sir has been, without question, the best time of my life so far. I was terrible at it before the 8th grade, but in only my first year playing for the school team and being coached by Sudhakar Sir, I had achieved a small but meaningful amount of memories that I will never forget. Of course, together the team won many trophies and titles, but the memories I had won were so much more important. I got the opportunity to play with seniors who helped me improve my game, and even maintain a good relationship with each and every one of them. They had my back, no matter what the situation was.
I owe it all to Sudhakar Sir. Along with the painful experiences that provided me with the right mindset, football gave me a purpose- to inspire.
I saw that through football, I could leave behind the same legacy left by my seniors, which would make me a part of something bigger than any one person. I could inspire my juniors, and they would inspire theirs. In other words, I could be a part of an ongoing ripple effect that would last for a long time. I realized that this was my purpose. I just wanted to inspire people in any way possible, and during this period, I earned more than I could have asked for. Looking back at my 14-year journey in this school, I will treasure the experiences that contributed to this self-realization of wanting to inspire everyone around me, and I am grateful for it.
I had the mindset and I had the purpose. All that was left was to execute, and I did. I did work hard, which is why I have what I have. Initially, it was tough. Sacrificing my sleep every day to wake up at 5:00 A.M. was not an easy task. With time, however, I got used to it. I knew that in order for me to make an impact, I would have to out-work each and everyone around me. I had the mentality of putting in the hard work every single day, and I did so because I wanted to prove myself. But, does working hard ensure you will not fail? No. I made mistakes during crucial games on multiple occasions, but the only reason why I was still in the team despite making mistakes was that I did not stop putting in the hard work, no matter what. The comeback is always greater than the setback, and I learned the lessons I had to. Today, I am confident whenever I step out into the field because of my mistakes and experiences. Would this be possible if I turn back time and take away all the pain and mistakes I had made? I do not think so. Which is why I said, I am grateful for it.
Going through pain and making mistakes are inevitable, but you get to decide what impression you leave behind after you make those mistakes. Would you want to give up, or would you want to redeem yourself?
My First Tournament, November 2016
Nationals, 2019. We came first
It’s been 13 years since I joined the school, and I’ve had one hell of a ride. This journey has truly been one to remember.
To the younger students who are still in school that are reading this, you will have a great time as well. Yes, there will be times when you will not be able to sleep at night. Yes, at times, you will feel that going through so much pain is not worth it, but trust me, it is. I know it is not easy, but you need to be patient. I would like to think that I am an example of someone who has overcome the tough times and persevered. To anyone reading this who may be going through the same, I hope my method of dealing with the pain helps you and inspires you as well. You will be proud of yourself once you are done with school, and will look back at all of the pain you go through as a vital component to the success I know all of you will achieve. If you have read this all the way till here, thank you. I hope you find your purpose and inspire, but most importantly, you stay happy in what you do.
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