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Quote of the day by Sachin Tendulkar: ‘If the journey starts from your heart, then you can go all the way’
On the legendary cricketer's birthday, we look back on his perspective on chasing passion and commitment over paychecks and salary packages.
April 24 marks the 53rd birthday of Sachin Tendulkar – a name so deeply woven into the fabric of Indian cricket that it’s almost impossible to speak about the sport without invoking the legendary batsman. Revered not just for his records but for his discipline, humility, and enduring love for the game, Tendulkar remains a symbol of what it means to dedicate one’s life to a craft.
On this occasion, today’s quote of the day reflects his perspective on passion over profession – the idea that when you truly love what you do, it stops feeling like work, and metrics like income take a backseat. The quote comes from a February 2022 interview with Graham Bensinger on an episode of In Depth with Graham Bensinger.
What did Sachin Tendulkar say?
In the interview, Tendulkar made it clear that money was never the driving force behind his career. From the very beginning, his only plan – his “Plan A” – was to play cricket for India, and everything else simply supported that dream. In fact, he admitted that throughout his career, he never really tracked how much he was earning for playing international cricket. For him, the honour of wearing the Indian jersey and the joy of playing the game far outweighed any monetary considerations.
Summing up his philosophy, the cricketer said: “If the journey starts from your heart, then you can go all the way. But if the journey starts from your brain, then calculations come into play. You start looking at your bank balance, then you’re going to find it difficult – and that’s why I say, more than a profession, it’s my passion.”
What does Sachin Tendulkar’s quote mean?
Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s words draw a clear distinction between passion-led pursuits and calculation-driven decisions. When your journey begins from the heart, it is fuelled by genuine love, curiosity, and commitment – qualities that sustain you even when the path gets difficult. On the other hand, when decisions are driven primarily by logic, numbers, or external rewards, it becomes easier to lose motivation when those rewards fluctuate.
His message isn’t that money doesn’t matter at all, but that it shouldn’t be the starting point. Passion provides the resilience, focus, and joy needed to go the distance, while overthinking and constant evaluation can often hold you back.
Why are Sachin Tendulkar’s words relevant today?
In today’s fast-paced, hyper-competitive world, career choices are often guided by salary packages, market trends, and social expectations. While these factors are important, they can sometimes overshadow what truly drives an individual.
Tendulkar’s insight serves as a timely reminder to reconnect with what genuinely excites and fulfils you. Whether you’re a student choosing a career path or a professional reassessing your goals, his words encourage you to prioritise purpose over pure practicality. Because in the long run, it’s passion – not just paycheques – that sustains consistency, excellence, and a sense of meaning.
