Opinion || Passion is the power to achieve and succeed

The part you won’t believe is that there was a man at the bar with a kangaroo, and the kangaroo started belting up on the patrons every time an Australian player got out.

Each time an Aussie got bowled, caught, stumped, lbw’d, run out or just did something stupid, this kangaroo would hop around the pub kicking and boxing everyone. I was amazed!

So, I walked up to the owner of this kangaroo and asked “Mate, what’s wrong with your kangaroo?” so he explains: “He loves watching cricket! But every time the Australian cricket team play badly he goes crazy and starts fighting with everyone!”

I asked this man “Look, sometimes the Australian cricket team plays well, so what does your kangaroo do when the Australian cricket team plays well?”

The kangaroo’s owner rolled his eyes and sighed “How should I know mate? I’ve only had this kangaroo for 15 years.”  

I told you that you wouldn’t believe me, but I really do believe the Australian cricket team plays well sometimes.

Of course, recent limited overs cricket games don’t count because they don’t fit in with my joke.

People told Kerry Packer this limited overs nonsense with players in coloured pyjama-like outfits was never going to take off, but did he listen?

Apparently a young boy recently asked his parents if he could have a Mickey Mouse outfit at his sixth birthday party, so his parents invited the Australian cricket team.

Who said they no longer have loyal fans?

Joking! I’m only joking!

And I’m probably only joking now because I was too annoyed to muse on cricket straight after the Aussies lost the Test series against India. 

Still, perhaps the recent Test series was decided not so much by poor performances from Australia, but rather an increase in the passion of the Indian cricket team.

The Indian cricket team made history earlier this month when they won their first Test series ever against Australia in Australia since they began touring here in 1947.

India’s cricket captain for the recent Test series Virat Kohli made the claim that the Indian team’s desire to win the series had become “an obsession”.

Kohli happily expressed the mindset of his team, a team soon to make history: "I can guarantee everyone is obsessed about winning in very difficult conditions," explained Kohli.

He then went on to school us all on how to succeed in almost anything: "It has to be an obsession.

“When you’re obsessed about playing good quality cricket and achieving excellence then I don’t think as a team you want to stop.”

Kohli’s words reminded me of a belief held by the great 16^th and 17^th Century astronomer Galileo Galilei: “Passion is the genesis of genius”. 

If you’ve given up on your New Year’s goals already it’s worth musing on the words of Galileo and Kohli. 

Better still, follow their example. 

The Sydney Morning Herald reported earlier this month Kohli’s views about playing in front of Australian crowds: "It’s not only the team you’re playing against, it’s the whole nation, because they get behind the team so well… When you walk into bat you feel like 40,000 want your wicket, not just the 11 guys on the field.” 

Of course, Galileo’s passionate struggle for the truth against those who should have supported and blessed his efforts is now legendary.

On the last day of Jesus’ life he was surrounded by loveless abusers both physical and psychological, but no matter how many times they knocked him down he got back up again and carried that cross.

Today we don’t call this his stupidity; we call it his Passion.

If you’ve already reached your goals for the year, either you’re extremely passionate, or they were too small.

If you’ve given up on your New Year’s goals already, but you didn’t want to, start again.

But this time, don’t let the distractions distract you. Jesus didn’t. Galileo didn’t. Kohli isn’t.

Actually, I’m kind of hoping Kohli does... just while he’s here in Australia.