There is a concept called sledging in Cricket. Where the opponent team comes and gives bad words to the batsman. Bad words! They try to distract them and take their focus away. One thing that Sachin is adored for, in the history of Cricket is- sledging hasn't bothered him. This man is cool. Are you cool?

When people do sledging against you in the game of life, are you cool? Or you loose you cool? There will always be people who are out of control.

Can you stop a guy from criticising you? 

Can you stop opponent team from sledging?

You can do nothing about it. Its called things which are out of our control. People are out of our control sometimes. One lady had a fight with her husband. After fight, lady called her mother and said, "Mummy, we had a fight.I cannot handle this now, I am coming home to meet you for 2 weeks!" Mother replied,"No my dear, he should face consequences of his deeds, you stay there, I am coming at your place for 2 months!" Are situations in your control many times?  No.

The guy who was batting, was expecting an IN-SWING ball and thats what the bowler bowled and one gush of wind and IN-SWING becomes an OUT-SWING and he is caught OUT. A lot of things, situations, people, are just out of our control. How many of you think Question Paper is in your control ?

And when things go wild, you know what happens with us? This is what happens with us you know. This is what happens with us, see how it foams up! We react!The stimulus of a person sledging against us, criticising pulling us down, envious of us, conspiring, politicking makes us react and foam out! "Hey you!" and we start reacting. And look at this, This is also sealed ! See! The question is; Do you want to be a SODA-CAN or  BOTTEL OF WATER? And I am sure, a lot of us would say, "Sir, under pressure we react like SODA!" and thus, in our life we will always have a stimulus and we can choose to respond because between the stimulus and response is our choice.

A GREAT PERSONALITY IS NOT BORN IN THE MATERNITY WARD. A GREAT PERSONALITY IS BORN BY THE CHOICES THAT ONE MAKES.

And therefore when there are all kinds of stimuli, we have to learn how to respond. If you are not strong spiritually, it is impossible!If you are not strong culturally, it is impossible! All this sounds great and good, and we know, 'Yes i want to do it! I CAN'T be a CAN of SODA, I want to be a WATER BOTTLE,  Is it so easy? No.That is why coming here is so important, that is why these foundational ethics of spirituality are so crucial in this age as all of you are going to be successful in your own areas of life, if not cricket per se and thus, We have to learn how to respond. Therefore, My Guru, His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj says; DON't ASK THE QUESTION WHY?

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME? ASK THE QUESTION HOW? HOW SHOULD I DEAL WITH IT? Learn this masterstroke, Not to REACT, But to RESPOND.