“Mary…who?”—Until three years ago this would be our reaction when someone would try to talk about Mary Kom as most of us didn’t know about her, the three times World Cup Champion in boxing and the second runner up at the 2012 London Olympics among numerable other similar accolades. However, nowadays, thanks to the Olympics show (the only event that makes us aware of the athletes) and, more to the commercial biopic made on her under Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s banner that finally we have started recognizing her and give her the respect she has deserved since years now. In spite of being from a prejudiced area in India, she brought India much fame, and this list is dedicated to her. It features some of the lessons she taught us through her endless struggles and her umpteen successes—

5. You Lose a Game Only When You Quit

This is the mantra of life propounding by the sages and the diplomats alike since ages. However, it is this woman who didn’t try to propound any theory, rather she demonstrated it. No matter how big and impossible a feat is, giving up without trying is a sign of the weaker hearts. And, surely, no self respecting person would want to surrender without at least trying. Hence, one lesson learnt. Be it solving a mathematical query or losing your habit of smoking, if you don’t try till the end, you can achieve nothing.

4. What is the Worth of a Readymade Success?

Obstacles are the bound to appear in our paths to success. But surrendering to them won’t fetch us anywhere. Mary Kom had also seen numerous failures and obstacles, and some very serious ones at that. So why do you think she’s now at the top of the world? Well, it’s precisely because she took obstacles as a part and parcel of the road to success, and learnt a great deal from those obstacles. Hence, if you can treat those obstacles as experiences and learn something from then, then success cannot stay aloof from you long.

What is the Worth of a Readymade Success?