Life Lessons From A Snooker Great

The beautiful thing about pursuing a sport is all the parallels you can draw between the sport and your life. Because the two have a lot in common—from the significance of hard work and strategy to the implications of luck and destiny.?

Pankaj Advani is one of India's most decorated snooker and billiards players. He has won 25 world titles and received both the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards for sports. It's not often that we come across greats who are as honest about their failures, lessons, and accomplishments with as much candor as Pankaj.?

Pankaj started playing snooker with his older brother at a club near his house. He started competing at 11 and won his first world title at 18. He is also among the few people in the world to win world titles in billiards and snooker. For those of us who don't quite understand the difference between the two, Pankaj explains the difference in detail. But essentially, they are two completely different playing techniques—like "the difference between backstroke and freestyle."

Pankaj goes on to revisit fond memories of playing and winning titles for the country. He also talks about times when luck played to his side, allowing him to win when he should have lost. He isn't oblivious to the role of destiny and luck in shaping his career. But, after all these years, he is still learning. He knows to constantly acclimatize to different conditions and be consistent with his training.?

Every match takes focus, mental strength, hand-eye coordination, and tremendous skill. Then, there's also the tactical part of the game, where you have to focus on your opponent's errors and take a chance when you get it. As he says, "you can't plan too far ahead. Because even if you do, it doesn't go according to the plan."

Whether you're a professional sportsperson, an amateur snooker player, or just someone trying to make it through life, this episode of A Niche Thing with Aneesh Bhasin has something profound for you!