M.S. Dhoni has experienced great success as a cricket player, becoming India's most successful wicketkeeper and captain. However, his journey was not easy and involved struggling from a small town upbringing. Dhoni was able to achieve so much because he followed his passion for cricket from a young age, practicing constantly with tennis balls and keeping his focus on improvement. His various quotes illustrate how loving what you do can help you find the strength and commitment to overcome challenges, make sacrifices, and ultimately excel in your field.

1. 10 M.S. Dhoni
quotes that prove
you should
#LoveWhatYouDo

2. Devastating batsman, the world’s best finisher,
India’s most successful wicketkeeper by number of
dismissals, India’s most successful captain across all
three formats of the game – we’re all familiar with
tales of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s prowess on the
field. But how many of us know about the struggle
that preceded his success?
From small-town ticket collector to India team
captain, Dhoni's journey to fame is about following
his passion. With hard work and perseverance, he’s
proven that when you #LoveWhatYouDo, you’ll
always score big.

3. These inspirational words from MSD explain why
we all must follow our passion:
1. Those who knew him when he was a railway
ticket-collector recall how Dhoni cycled around
town and played cricket with tennis balls on
practically every ground in and around
Kharagpur, West Bengal. His enthusiasm, zeal,
drive and motivation helped through his
struggles to build a career in cricket. When you
#LoveWhatYouDo, you’ll always keep your eye
on the ball.

5. 2. The Indian captain kept wickets despite
an injury to his eye during the recent Zimbabwe
tour when most others would have retired hurt.
After all, if you #LoveWhatYouDo, you’ll always
be committed to seeing your tasks through.

7. 3. A London School of Marketing study places
his net worth in 2016 at a reported $31 million,
of which $27 million came from endorsements.
But for Dhoni, who has always said it’s
important to #LoveWhatYouDo, real riches lay
elsewhere.

9. 4. Dhoni wasn’t at his wife’s side when his first
child, daughter Ziva, was born in 2015 since he
was playing the World Cup in Australia. If you
#LoveWhatYouDo, you find the strength to make
personal sacrifices.

11. 5. In the book Mahi: The Story of India’s Most Successful
Captain (Roli Books, 2013), author Shantanu Guha Ray
describes how Dhoni was a good student who sometimes
got poor marks in Science and Mathematics. When that
happened, he always managed to internalize the
feedback of his teachers to come back with better marks
in the next exam. Self-analysis and criticism is something
Dhoni still takes seriously after all these years irrespective
of the results of a game and is a big reason for his
success. As Dhoni proves, you constantly strive for
improvement when you #LoveWhatYouDo.

13. 6. Shoaib Akhtar once said about Dhoni, “He is
one guy who doesn’t know the meaning of fear.”
The hard knocks life throw at you can be tackled
head-on when you #LoveWhatYouDo.

15. 7. Despite the incredible pressure of captaincy,
Dhoni seems unperturbed by the hopes of a
billion-plus people resting on his sturdy
shoulders. What’s the secret behind Captain
Cool’s composure? #LoveWhatYouDo. When you
find your true calling, you’re better equipped to
deal with the stress on the job.

17. 8. A small town boy from Ranchi became one of
India’s greatest cricket captains because he
worked hard and followed his dreams. If you
#LoveWhatYouDo, all your efforts will help you
excel.

19. 9. Dhoni’s philosophy in life has been to stay
focused, have short-term goals and not look too
much in future. Channeling your time, energy
and efforts into things that really matter comes
easy when you #LoveWhatYouDo.

21. • 10. Good times won’t last forever and when
the bad times come, you need to be prepared.
Dhoni has always been a realist, but one who
doesn’t allow negative thoughts to hamper his
game. #LoveWhatYouDo, and you’ll always be
a yae-sayer.