Few years back I had no inclination for heroic movies. I found them unrealistic. They appeared far removed from daily life. But now I realize that it was my folly. Nothing is unrealistic, it’s just rare. Rare is also real.
Well, I saw Sultan today. What a heroic movie. Sultan is not a biopic. But I believe that a story doesn’t have to be true to inspire. And inspired it has. Big time. I received a plethora of inspirations from this movie. Five prime ones:
1. MOTIVATION IS AN INTERNAL AFFAIR
Salman began his journey from an external motivation – wanting to win Anoushka. But soon it became an inner quest. All he sought was expansion and mastery. First he wanted to expand and become a hero in his own eyes. Next he wanted to expand yet more and become a hero with a heart.
All motivation comes from within. Carrots and sticks can put us on the journey. But they can’t sustain us for long. The fuel needs to come from within. The engine is inside and so is the turbo-charge. Waiting to be tapped by a quest for autonomy, mastery and purpose.
2.NOBODY CAN DEFEAT YOU UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO GET DEFEATED
It was so inspiring to see Salman sticking to his fights despite a broken rib cage, while it could be fatal. Yet more inspiring for Anushka to nudge him on.
My master used to say that victory is decided not by whether you win or lose. If you are committed to the game, despite its challenges, you are already victorious. Commitment is the only differentiator!
3.A REAL RELATIONSHIP IS ALWAYS A MESSY RELATIONSHIP
There was love in Anushka’s agony, there was affection in her blame and there was concern in her grievances. This transpired so strongly in the end.
Most of us have bought into the valentine day idea of love being only a coochie-coochie affair. As if Cupid is the only God of love. If Cupid is all love is, then any discontent, anger, blame can’t qualify for love. I have an objection to that. It’s a very parochial way to define love.
Love is messy. Hatred is a part of love. It is not the opposite of love as we are often taught to believe. Ditto with grievances and blame. Can we hate or blame somebody whom we do not love in the first place? Love is not the opposite of hate; love includes hate. Love is too large to leave its opposites out. At the banquet of love, all moods are welcome.
4.WHEN ONE MAN WINS, SO MANY WIN
Besides his fans, when Salman eventually won, with him won Anoushka, his father-in-law, his late father, his childhood friend, his coach, and the entrepreneur-friend who trusted in him. Maybe also his child. Can it get any better?
When one person wins, so many win. When one entrepreneur wins, hundreds of bread-earners win. When the bread-earner of a home wins, the whole family wins. When the child of the house wins, the proud parents win. We are totally interconnected. Win but not just for yourself. Win for your near and dear ones. Win for the world.
5.YOUR ONLY REAL FIGHT IS WITH YOURSELF
Salman never for once fought an enemy outside of himself. In fact he would bow down to his opponents after every knock-out. He was simply fighting the enemies inside. First he fought the underdog in him and later he fought the arrogant achiever in him.
Each of us has a dark side that gets the better of us every now and then. Life is nothing but a hide-and-seek game with this dark side of ours. Quite often it wins. But eventually we should. Success in transmuting these inner demons automatically results as success in our outer life. The wrestling ring is within us. The match is on 24 * 7. Either stay put and take the trophy home. Or chicken out and live a small life!
