Learning from Great Personalities – Lionel Messi
The thoughts, words and actions of great personalities serve as a rich source of desirable qualities and characteristics that define success in life. Let us draw a leaf of inspiration from their lives and fuel our journey of self-development by imbibing their virtues
Born on June 24, 1987 in Argentina, Lionel Messi, is widely regarded as one of the most exciting Football players of the modern age. He caught the world’s eye as the driving force behind the powerhouse FC Barcelona. He has led them to many titles and earned himself the World Player of the Year award many times. Few players have ever achieved his speed and agility on the pitch. Diego Maradona, one of the greatest footballers of all times, praises Messi, “The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi’s ball control.” As the world witnesses the fierce competition on the field during the FIFA World Cup 2018, let us take a peek off the football field into the virtues that made Lionel Messi a legend.
Messi began playing from an early age and his talent was soon apparent as he excelled his way through tournaments. However, at the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition that stunted growth and required expensive medical treatment. Messi’s parents decided on a regimen of nightly growth-hormone injections for their son, though it soon proved impossible to pay several hundred dollars per month for the medication. His father unsuccessfully turned to several Argentine football clubs seeking financial aid for an expensive treatment. Messi was rejected by clubs because of his health condition.
What can be more discouraging than this? Yet, Messi never gave up. He was shorter than his teammates and opponents, but instead of making it an excuse or feel self-pity, he used it to give him that extra boost of drive. He explains, “Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win.” Messi had the right perspective as he used his adversity as a means of motivation that ignited his success.
Messi’s optimism rewarded him at the age of 13, when the sporting director of FC Barcelona, Carlex Rexach, discovered that he was greatly talented and decided to invest in him. He offered to sponsor Messi’s medical bills with the condition that Messi relocates to Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and became part of the prestigious FC Barcelona youth academy. Instead of giving up, Messi tackled setbacks in life to pass through them and moved towards his goal.
Dribbling past many circumstances that tried to tackle him, Messi has successfully scored a goal in life, transforming from a little boy to a legend through virtues like passion and perseverance amongst others. Let us imbibe these attributes in our lives and kick-off the journey to achieve our goals.
Tackling Setbacks
Messi began playing from an early age and his talent was soon apparent as he excelled his way through tournaments. However, at the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition that stunted growth and required expensive medical treatment. Messi’s parents decided on a regimen of nightly growth-hormone injections for their son, though it soon proved impossible to pay several hundred dollars per month for the medication. His father unsuccessfully turned to several Argentine football clubs seeking financial aid for an expensive treatment. Messi was rejected by clubs because of his health condition.
What can be more discouraging than this? Yet, Messi never gave up. He was shorter than his teammates and opponents, but instead of making it an excuse or feel self-pity, he used it to give him that extra boost of drive. He explains, “Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win.” Messi had the right perspective as he used his adversity as a means of motivation that ignited his success.
Messi’s optimism rewarded him at the age of 13, when the sporting director of FC Barcelona, Carlex Rexach, discovered that he was greatly talented and decided to invest in him. He offered to sponsor Messi’s medical bills with the condition that Messi relocates to Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and became part of the prestigious FC Barcelona youth academy. Instead of giving up, Messi tackled setbacks in life to pass through them and moved towards his goal.
Passion
Another important ingredient for Messi’s greatness is his passion for the game. He has a burning desire for anything to do with football. He once stated, “I’m just happy with a ball at my feet. My motivation comes from playing the game I love. If I wasn’t paid to be a professional footballer I would willingly play for nothing.” The Argentine world class striker is a huge success as a result of his genuine passion. He shares, “I always thought I wanted to play professionally, and I always knew that to do that I’d have to make a lot of sacrifices. I made sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. I changed my friends, my people. Everything. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream. That’s why I didn’t go out partying, or do a lot of other things.”Constant Improvement
After reaching the top of the game, it is easy to become complacent. However, legends do not lie back even at the top. Their desire to improve is one of the inherent qualities that make them successful. Messi says that his ambition is always to get better. He adds, “Every year I try to grow as a player and not get stuck in a rut. I try to improve my game in every way possible. But that trait is not something I’ve worked on, it’s part of me.” Sharing that his success is a result of hard work, he says, “It took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success.”Dribbling past many circumstances that tried to tackle him, Messi has successfully scored a goal in life, transforming from a little boy to a legend through virtues like passion and perseverance amongst others. Let us imbibe these attributes in our lives and kick-off the journey to achieve our goals.