There are times in life when, despite hard work, success doesn’t come. Self-confidence gradually wanes, and one feels like giving up. At such times, a simple piece of advice can change one’s entire perspective. Something similar happened with India’s star badminton player, PV Sindhu. After a long period of poor form, injury, and constant criticism, she made a remarkable comeback by winning the Japan Open 2026. This comeback, along with hard work, was also aided by a piece of advice from Virat Kohli, which made her a champion once again.
In fact, Virat Kohli’s advice was as simple as it was effective. The cricketer’s answer was just one line: “Rediscover the joy of your work; don’t just chase results.” Sindhu took this advice to heart, regained her lost love for the game, and made a remarkable comeback by winning the Japan Open 2026. If you too are troubled by repeated failures, Kohli’s formula could change your thinking.
What did Virat Kohli say to PV Sindhu?
Frustrated by consistently poor performances, PV Sindhu once asked Virat Kohli how he overcame a period in his career when he couldn’t score a century. Kohli’s answer was simple. He said he focused solely on making himself happy again. The goal wasn’t just to set records, but to play the game with all his heart. This resonated with Sindhu. She realized that if the joy of the game is lost, good results won’t come.
How did PV Sindhu act on this advice?
Some time later, Sindhu tore a ligament in her toe. Doctors advised her to rest for three months. During this time, her husband, Venkat Datta Sai, took her to Atlanta, USA. There, her focus wasn’t just on healing her body, but also on strengthening her mental strength. Living with her family, she rehabilitated herself without any pressure. There, Sindhu had the opportunity to live like a normal person, not a star athlete. This environment brought back her lost enthusiasm for badminton.
Was victory achieved only through hard work?
No. This time, Sindhu’s entire team worked together on every detail. Data on her game was analyzed, and it was discovered that her aggressive play had diminished compared to before. While she used to win points with fewer shots, she was now having to attack multiple times in a single rally. This was leading to increased errors. Furthermore, her line judgments were becoming more inaccurate than before. This meant that her pursuit of easy points was harming her game. All these shortcomings were addressed one by one.
Can the advice be useful for ordinary people as well?
This advice isn’t just for athletes. If you’re facing persistent failure in your studies, job, business, or any other endeavor, instead of chasing results, try to reconnect with the work you once started with joy. When a person is pressured solely by the desire for success, stress increases. But when they begin to enjoy their work, their confidence gradually returns. This confidence becomes the foundation for better performance in the future. If you’re also feeling a lack of confidence these days, perhaps this advice may prove equally useful for you. Sometimes, the path to your goal lies not in simply increasing your hard work, but in loving your work again.