‘If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me’

For as long as I can remember, squash has been an essential part of my life. I can recall
playing squash right after school, enduring a torturous seven days a week practice schedule,
joining numerous training camps, and breaking down after losing hundreds of squash
tournaments as cornerstones of my childhood. From a young age I was determined to be the
best; and quickly concluded that meant winning national junior titles, better yet, international
ones. When I entered middle school, my squash career skyrocketed as I had an unbeatable
winning streak for my age group. I centered my life around the goal of representing Malaysia
in this sport although I declined the offer letter to train in Bukit Jalil Sports School in Kuala
Lumpur and decided to sharpen my skills in Penang, my hometown instead. I became
disciplined in every aspect of my life: from how many hours of sleep I got, to what exact
foods I ate. I was obsessed with my intensive training regimen, and fell asleep each night to
the dream of my hand being raised in the prestigious glass court where thousands of viewers
get to see me perform.

As months went by, I experienced success. My state ranking climbed steadily and by the
time the national tournament began, I was projected to finish third. I played well throughout
the tournament, advancing to the semifinals where I defeated the favorite 11-0. At last, I was
to compete against the top seeded player who is deemed to be the brightest talent under 15
years of age in the final match for the national championship. I prepared for my opponent,
whom I never went head to head with. Nevertheless, I threw my hat in the ring and ignored
the butterflies in my stomach. I was all jitters with zero confidence, thus, was unable to be on
par with her and ended up on the short end of a 3-0 defeat. In just a span of 30 minutes, my
dream was crushed to its core, shattered and the broken pieces lie on the ground which I was
struggling to pick up. For me, it felt like the end of the world as I had based my whole
identity and lifestyle on the dream of winning the national juniors. It felt as though the game I
loved most had ripped out my heart. Needless to say, after that stumbling block, I was beyond
depressed and devastated as I sobbed hysterically in the corner.

After a month or perhaps more of introspection, and some in depth conversations with the
people closest to me, such as my mother, sister and coaches, I began to realize that one lost
squash match, at age fifteen, was not the end of time. My setback in that championship
helped me fathom that life is full of ups and downs just like a rollercoaster. Colin Powell, the
first African American to serve as Secretary of the State, once said that a dream doesn’t
become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. Magnificent
dreams are within your reach, but it requires more than wishful thinking to reach your
aspirations. From that little kick in the teeth, I acknowledged that success won’t be served on
a silver platter or does it fall from the sky. Life is not a bed of roses and dreams, unlike eggs,
don’t hatch from sitting on them. Evidently, accepting and learning from failures is key to
succeeding in life and possessing great sagacity. The process of striving to become a national
champion taught me more than achieving this title ever could, and my failure in the national
finals was a blessing in disguise. If it is meant to be, I must work hard and make my
ambitions a reality as we say empty talk harms the country, while hard work makes it
flourish.

There's strength within struggles and there's tenacity that comes from having to find your
feet when you're lying on the ground. Through all of those scrambles in life, I've learned that
I'm defined by the blind faith to hammer away when all I want to do is quit. After that
drawback I encountered, I decided to go the extra mile and train as hard as I possibly could.
For instance, I extended my daily jog from a mere 30 minutes to an hour long as well as
spending more time training with my sparring partner who was more experienced than me in
this sport. In the end, I was awarded the championship title for the under-15 category. It is
true when they say success is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. A
thoughtful analysis would conclude that with resolution and endurance, one can survive the
greatest storms and difficulties ergo taste the nectar of success. Dr Norman Vincent Peale
once said, “There is nothing in life that is so difficult that it cannot be overcome. Faith and
perseverance can move mountains; it can change people and the world”.

Taking everything into account, one should never hand over and lose hope within the midst
of achieving his goals. Indubitably, self-belief is a necessary first step towards greatness.
People who surround themselves in doubt and cynicism will rarely reach the top. Ultimately,
if it is to be, it is your choice and your actions that counts for a bright future because the road
ahead is as long as you make it. Furthermore, when doors will get slammed in our faces, or
when we stumble and fall in life, don’t let those frivolous obstacles stop us. Evidently, having
a sanguine mindset will be the building blocks in accomplishing something outstanding even
while the situations are not favorable for an individual so aggressiveness works for
developing zeal. Having to manage my schoolwork, sports practice, home responsibilities and
keeping an eye out for my mental health has been difficult. Despite everything, I am still
standing strong because if I truly want something, I need to go after it, and I will get it done
as the saying goes, “When there is a will, there is a way”.