Had ups and downs, but love for the game of cricket kept me going - Rahul Dravid

There are few athletes who have laddered up the ranks with innate talent, and others who have relied solely on relentless hard work and determination. However, people just don't know what it takes for an athlete to attain success. A sportsman's career is not all about smooth sailing; a multitude of complexities, misjudgements, and pitfalls will have to be conquered. The only virtue that differentiates a talented individual from a successful one is hard work.

In a talk series hosted by Desh Apnayen Sahayog Foundation and Satya Vigyan Foundation, Rahul Dravid opened up on how he kept fighting the odds during his illustrious career.  "I have had my share of ups and downs but I think what's kept me going is just the love for the game and just trying to get the best of myself," he was quoted as saying during the 'TRUTH talks' show hosted by India's renowned sports scribe, Ayaz Menon. 

Sports, as we know, helps the person to acquire patience and recognize that it stipulates years of rigorous training to achieve the pinnacle of success. Dravid -- an embodiment of hard work, perseverance and success -- also talked about the importance of sports. He opined that this wonderful sport has made him what he is today. 

"In sports, you are put in the spotlight a lot and your failure is very public, as your success is as well and you need to deal with that. It is not easy at times, it sometimes makes you do things that you are not very proud of and sometimes you learn from those things. It has become so much more competitive today that it has actually become harder for a sportsman to have a normal life," Dravid added.