Wilma Rudolph said, “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”
We all have a sense of greatness within us, and it will start to manifest when we also start to dream big and take action on those dreams. In this episode, we’re bringing back someone who never underestimated the power of dreams — Novak Djokovic. He is one of the top tennis players in the 21st century, who has been number one for a record of more than 320 weeks.
We had him before as a guest here on The School of Greatness during episode 565 about finding your purpose and sharing that purpose with others. If you missed it, make sure to check it out.
In this episode, we discuss how Novak started playing tennis and how he persevered through so many different traumatic experiences during childhood, how Novak recovered from his lowest point in life, how to understand the power of the mind to build a Champion’s mindset, what love means to Novak and why it’s so important for him, and more.
Who Is Novak Djokovic?
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian tennis player who is presently ranked by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) as the world’s number one for more than 6 years. He also holds a record of 20 Grand Slam titles, sharing the spotlight with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
He started playing tennis at the age of four and quickly rose to the junior ranks in spite of the hardships of living in a war-torn country like Serbia during the early nineties.
“I celebrated my birthday during those two and a half months of bombing, and I was turning 12, and I still remembered that scene. Actually, we were having a little birthday party at a tennis club. So as kids, we were frightened, [and] we were scared.” – Novak Djokovic
Life in Serbia back in the early nineties wasn’t easy for Novak Djokovic and his family, who had to endure daily struggles for survival when bombs were randomly dropped day and night around their home. There was uncertainty about where the next bomb would drop. So, every day, they lived in fear. But as a child, they just lived for the moment and enjoyed the blessing of being alive every day, even finding time to play amidst the war.
“We didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. But at the same time, as [children], we didn’t have the worries that adults did. So we were living in a moment and it was great that we got to spend more time playing tennis and having fun than in school.” – Novak Djokovic
In spite of the hardships in life and the daily struggles in the midst of threats, there were opportunities out there. Since classes were canceled because of the war, Novak was able to spend more time playing tennis, which allowed him to improve his skills further.
Years later, he became Europe’s top-ranked 14-and-under player. Later on, Novak became the number one player in the 16-and-under category until he turned professional in 2003. At the age of 18 in July 2006, Novak Djokovic joined the top 100 players in the Association of Tennis Professionals and won his first ATP event.
In 2008, Novak Djokovic won his first major championship event during the Australian Open. His popularity surged further in 2011 when he won the championships in three of the four prestigious major tennis events — the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. Since then, he has won several major events per season, claiming the Grand Slam Trophy for the 19th time.
This year in 2021, Nojak Djokovic opened the season with another win in the Australian court during the Australian Open, followed by two more championships in the French Open and Wimbledon, making him a Grand Slam winner for the 20th time.
His life story from a place of survival — being bombed daily for weeks — to the international game courts and major prestigious sports events is very inspiring. Truly, his achievements and greatness did not come without struggles and hardships, and yet, his determination and passion pushed him to move forward to success.
The Journey from the Battlefield to the Major and Prestigious Game Courts
It’s not easy to find time playing games while the entire place where you live is constantly bombarded with deadly bombs that could take lives away at any time. Novak Djokovic certainly had his share of fears and uncertainties during his childhood days.
“We spent two weeks, most of the nights, in those underground shelters. … [In the] middle of the night it was pitch darkness. And all of a sudden, you see these flashes of light everywhere. … explosions, … and you feel that the ground’s rumbling. … It was a devastating experience.” – Novak Djokovic
With daily bombing during the night, it would be pure luck if anyone isn’t hit or injured, and Novak wasn’t lucky enough. He was injured while running from one place to another through the bombing and frenzied crowd.“I remember running … one night, … and … I lost my footing. So, …. I fell down and turned around. … And then, … [when] I was in a military hospital, I was thinking about those kinds of images that are stuck in my mind forever. But at the same time, … I felt like that experience has shaped me into the person I am today and has helped me to be more appreciative of life, give more value, and be more grateful.” – Novak Djokovic
