The moment, the umpire’s whistle was blown, all the runners on the track, started running towards their target. Here the target is not touching the ribbon tied to the victory post. But to handover the baton in their hand to the runner ready to take it from the runner of his team, who started in the first lap. 

Is this Relay race akin to our life?

Yes. a relay race has many Similarities with our lives. It shows, how important is the task of carrying the responsibilities on our shoulders assigned to us. Now, the first runner from the first lap handed over the baton to the team- mate ready to run the second lap. And the second runner hands over the baton to the third runner and the third runner hands over the baton to the last runner ready to run the fourth and final lap. Now the fourth runner runs fast and covers the allotted lap to touch the ribbon tied across the victory poles at the end of the lap. What happens if the runner ignores his responsibilities? The subsequent runner cannot continue his onward run. And this percolates in to performance of the subsequent runners, resulting in a defeat. a relay race conveys is that there should be a perfect understanding between the team members. Even if the first runner running the first lap of the race commits a mistake or delays the handing over of the baton, the second runner should not complain of the inability of the first runner. Instead, he should run his allotted lap in the best possible way and shoot ahead. And the process should go on and on till the victory pole is reached.

Here is an example.

She was born in a village, where there were no adequate facilities for education. She had a passion for education and a good career. Seeing her ambition, her parents sent her to a neighboring town for education. She was admitted in to an English medium school. She continued her education up to 6th standard without any break. Then, the things started happening.

Her father's financial condition got a blow due to untimely rains and drought. Owing to this reason, she had to leave her education. Her dreams of getting higher education and an equally good career were nipped in the bud. Consequently, she along with her parents had to leave for her village. But her mother had a deep desire to educate her child.

She could get some relief through a kindhearted teacher, who agreed to teach her Hindi in her village itself. She passed some Hindi examinations too. Seeing her daughter's success, the mother's determination grew stronger. She approached the headmaster of a school located nearby and requested him to allow his daughter to study for 10th standard privately. Moved by the interest of both mother and daughter the headmaster allowed her to appear for 10th standard privately. The young girl, encouraged by the opportunity she got, studied with renewed energy. She passed all her subsequent exams one by one.  She acquired her Master's degree. She passed her B.Ed course adding more value for her Master's degree.

She worked as a teacher for some time and started her own school. Over a period of time, she expanded her school in to an educational institution that can teach 1000 students.

Now let's see what are the features of a relay race embedded in this success saga.

The girl's mother, though she ran her assigned lap could not do satisfactorily, she did not fail in handing over the baton to her daughter. Her daughter realized the situation and without blaming her mother's delayed handing over of the baton, she started running on the track without encroaching in to other’s track. She ran the track gathering all her inner strengths .

In the process of her run on her track, she neither complained nor sulk about the unfavorable conditions. What all she done was just she has done what she is expected to do

Significance of Baton in real life.

We have seen handing over of the baton in the relay race. What the Baton signifies in real life? Is Baton a magic wand, that ensures success, the moment you get it in your hand?

Baton was handed over to you for doing your part in the remaining part of the track allotted to you. And its not all. It conveys the message that you should give your best in your performance.

What to do to apply the Baton principle to real life?

You are aware that in any sporting event, you will see lines. They mean that the sportsman, in running events should confine himself to the lane area which has been allotted to him or her. Encroaching the other runner's  area may lead to serious collisions, jeopardizing the very progress.

Now apply this to your real life. The lane discipline in relay can be applied to many activities in real life.  One should do his job without interfering or impeding other's way.

Relay is a team event. Here unless all the members contribute their best success will evade them. In real life also the same thing applies.  For a good team work, the members in the team should give their best. Each member's effort should contribute to the entire success of the team. There should not be any scope for 'selfishness' in teams.

Don't stop. Run, if you want to be in the race.

Competition is not new to the mankind. In every field and in every step of human life, competition is there and will be there. Darwin's theory of evolution uses a sentence,' Survival of the fittest'.

In this game of life, it's the one, who successfully completes his lap will emerge as the ultimate winner.

To be a winner, you should be fit.

Fitness embraces many physical and activities related to mental health. Physical activities like running, jogging and brisk walking will give muscular strength.

Activities related to mental health are Yoga, meditation will strengthen and fortify confidence, self- reliance and concentration.

Some physical exercises.

Physical exercises will build muscle, which in turn builds stamina. Stamina is the much needed ingredient to make you fight till the last moment be it in Relay race or life race. Physical exercises are of many kinds. One can stick to an exercise suitable to him or her. For example a morning walk lasting for at least 30 minutes every day or 3 days in a week will give good results. 

 Similarly, a brisk walk, swimming, skipping, push ups and squattings can be done according to convenience. Remember regularity and consistency are the important factors here.

Exercises you can do in your home.

Start your day by drinking a standard glassful of water. You can fix your own time of duration of exercise. The idea is to do the exercise in a convenient and painless way. But remember whatever may be the duration, do it regularly.

Exercises  that enhance Mental abilities.

Staying unperturbed and remaining calm during testing times is the main criteria to emerge as the champion in the life’s race. This is the quality that separates winners from losers. There are several methods available in yoga to fortify your mental abilities.

How yoga fortifies your mental abilities.

As it was mentioned in the outset. To win a life’s race, all the organs in our body should work in unison. Only then one can expect a stable mind. A wavering and oscillating mind can never win a race. Yoga does the needful. Yoga binds and ties mind and body together, imparting a great strength to mind and body. 

It’s not all. Yoga keeps you at a distance from the most life wrecking habits like negative thoughts. Negative thoughts will eat away your confidence. This in turn makes you a pessimist. A pessimist crumbles with the slightest hindrance on the track of his life’s relay.  Whereas it’s not the case with an optimist. The philosophy of an optimist is, ‘falling down is not wrong. Not getting up after falling down is wrong.’

Yoga awakens the dormant energies and abilities lying inside you, which were lying unnoticed and unused. This helps in exploring new ways to reach your set goals. 

For a fitness that is needed to win the game of life, you need four components. They are strength, flexibility, balance and aerobic capacity. Yoga gives them all.

Now the ball is in your court.

Nobody wants to fail in any game. More so in the game of life. Everybody wants to emerge as the champ and enrich their lives. To lead a successful life, what all one has to do is showing a willingness to lead a successful life. Once you show an inclination towards leading a successful life, half of your job is done. And the remaining half is sticking to the golden principle of “4Ds.” 

Dedication. Determination, Discipline and Desire.

Don’t be afraid of failures. With every failure strengthen yourself mentally and physically and get ready for your onward journey. Remember Rome was not built in a day. It takes time to build a champion hidden in you. Give time for its development, while giving the best to give a shape to your cherished goals.