What Makes Me Special: Lessons from Chess

My Most Memorable Experience

“Winners never quit, quitters never win.” This resonates strongly with my own personality. Of a plethora of experiences I’ve encountered in my life, the most enriching has certainly been the final round of the state-level chess competition. It was an epochal moment that showcased what makes me special. Had I risen to the occasion in this final game of chess, I would place first in Maharashtra. Knowing my opponent was the reigning champion of Maharashtra, my mind was filled with pessimism. Moreover, this was the same person who defeated me in the finals for two consecutive years. I knew that I had toiled hard to get this opportunity of achieving glory, and letting nervousness claw into my mind now would only obliterate my prospects of winning. It was at this moment that I took a deep breath and an array of thoughts darted through my mind leading to utter perplexity. At this very moment, I had no faith in my intellectualism, and every other attribute seemed inefficacious. I was no more than an ordinary boy with the heart to win.

Despite my resolute focus and utmost concentration in the game, I blundered a rook. I saw two options in front of me: accept the situation and fight back from where I was or accept failure. My intrinsic grit didn’t let me choose the latter, so I went along with the former. I remember what my mother always said to motivate me, “you are not a loser until you accept defeat.” Abiding by my mother’s mantra, I channelled all my mental abilities into thinking deeply before every move I made. As the game progressed, I out-smarted my opponent with undecipherable tactics resulting in my victory. I revelled in joy with this accomplishment, one that I had invested several hours in preparation for.

Embracing What Makes Me Special

In addition to the praise, relishing and glory, I learned so much about life from this beautiful game of chess. Had I at any stage in life accepted defeat, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Setbacks in my life are only temporary, the resilience to withstand them and striving to overcome them is what makes me special. The vitality of resilience was reiterated through this game. When I am faced with challenges, I have to adapt to these unexpected situations and embrace the obstacles, in order to continue in pursuit of my goals. Analogous to chess, I practice patience in each process which facilitates the accomplishment of my goal. I realized I always had the potential to win, it was the lack of self-confidence that hindered my progress. Inspired by the experience, a sense of aplomb was ingrained within me, as a result of which, I went on to fare extremely well in the national chess tournament, leading the state team to glory. I was convinced that stressing about the outcome of an event, rather than focusing on the journey is detrimental to success. The spirit with which my opponent embraced defeat inspired me greatly. Henceforth, whenever I face defeat, I congratulate my opponent and analyse my mistakes to better my own game, rather than whine about failure. I realized that I define my limits and that whatever my mind believes, I can achieve. So, it became important for me not to over-expect or under-expect out of myself, but plan realistic goals towards which I can devote my efforts. Having acted upon these realizations, not only did my mind become more focused but also, I began achieving the once seemingly impossible targets.

Lessons Learned from This Experience

Through this experience, I became a more confident individual. My transformation benefited me in all spheres of my life: sports, family affairs, and academics. I display true sportsmanship in each game, patience and acceptance in family affairs, and a resolute focus in academics. I am now an ardent advocate of the saying, “It’s not the failures that define one, but the courage to get back up.”