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Life's
sweet spot
Geet Sethi is synonymous
with the tender lovemaking of the cue and the balls on the
green baize. Every time he leans on the table needling his
eyes to measure a shot in search of his 'sweet spot' he is
on song. A seven time winner of Billiards World Championship,
he also holds the Guinness World Record for being the first
amateur in the world to compile the maximum 147 break in competition.
The strapping six footer talks about his new book "Success
Vs Joy"and other aspects of the game to TWF correspondent
B Arindham.
You seem to have the Midas touch that
turns to gold everything you touch. Tell us a little about conceiving
the book Success Vs Joy.
I don't know whether I have a Midas touch, but yes I put everything
into whatever I pursue, I do it with all my heart. I consciously
began to explore the world outside billiards some six, seven
years ago. However, the idea for this book came from my friend
Sunil Agarwal. He wanted to find out what I did right, he didn't
as a billiards player. So largely due to his persuasion we went
to a village called Abhapur in Gujarat and the book was born
after immense soul searching for five days. The method followed
was also peculiar. Sunil asked me hundreds of questions and
when we returned we had 15 audio cassettes filled with my answers.
These formed the very essence of the book.
Why is the title of the book 'Success
vs Joy' and not billiards based.
It's because it does not talk about billiards alone. If you
read the book you will realise it's much more than that. It's
handling life and its highs and lows. Success as defined by
society is money, fame and power. But are these three demi-gods
good enough to give you joy? I don't think so.
So what is the theme of the book. How
did you decide on it?
We never looked for any theme. Sunil was the one who was doing
all the searching and he was very focussed. His failure to
follow his heart wisely as a cueist drove us to the answers.
You need to play to experience 'the sweet spot,' which sport
has to offer. Experiencing 'the sweet spot' is joy and not
money, fame and power. If you are successful you will have
experienced it and even if not you would by being focussed.
So what is it that you suggest in the
book?
It's not something that I consciously sat about doing. The
book mainly deals with mind control. It talks about how to
keep one focussed in face of adversaries. It deals with stress
factor and how to overcome it. It deals with the qualities
that one requires to attain excellence in sports. It deals
with so many other faculties of the mind other than the game
itself like handling success and yet extract that little joy
out of life. In life there is no alternative to hard-work
and dedication and that is the 'main mantra' for success and
this relates to concentration that comes from will power.
So can someone going through a bad phase
be lifted by your book? Any suggestions for Indian cricket
captain Sourav Ganguly?
It's a book that deals with life and anyone can get juice
out of it. Sourav is human and every sports person have had
such lean phases. In these situations either you go spirally
downwards or when you come out of it you set better benchmarks.
You have such a long and chequered career.
Have the thoughts of calling it a day crossed your mind?
I won't say it didn't. But I know I have few more years in
me and I am very focussed towards that. Currently I have my
eyes set on the 2006 Doha Asian games. I feel so charged every
time I take up the cue to represent my country. It's a different
feeling. To be frank, I don't know how long I will play, but
so long as my eyesight permits and I feel enthusiastic about
competing I will continue.
About the cue ball sports in India ….
The best time for cue sport in India was between 1997 and
1998. After that there was a lull for two three years before
Pankaj Advani arrived. Every time a player comes and betters
on the predecessors it means that the game is alive and kicking.
Before him I was the youngest world champion in Billiards,
but he came and bettered that mark.
It's no doubt that we are at par with the world as far as
billiards is concerned, but in snooker we need improvement.
Every sport requires a revolution to propel forward and I
think we have got it now and we don't need to look behind.
Any other talent that you feel could
shine as brightly as Advani?
Sourav Kothari. Just watch out for that lad. He is a star
in the making and will be India's most sought after player
in the cue sport. I would say he is as talented as Advani
or may be even more. However, it's his lack of maturity that
is still an obstacle. Maybe within a few years he would be
able to showcase his talents.
Any plans on Geet Sethi Academy
I am still playing. No, not at this point of time.
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