Have you ever had a moment where you just knew something deep down, even when everyone else doubted you?
I grew up in Mumbai, India, and one memory that has stuck with me over the years is from my time at a Catholic school. I write about this in my book SOULFUL TRIBE, but there’s one particular lesson from my 7th-grade sports teacher that has stayed with me through all the ups and downs of life.
"Believe you can and you're halfway there."— Theodore Roosevelt
I still vividly remember the day we lost a cricket game. It wasn’t just a loss; it was a crushing defeat. Our team was down, feeling like the other side was just better than us. But our sports teacher sat us down and said something that has resonated with me ever since: “The reason you lost today was not that they were better, but because you didn’t believe in yourselves.” That simple statement changed the way I saw myself and how I approached challenges.
To drive his point home, he shared a story that has been etched in my memory ever since.
Over a hundred years ago, there was a farmer in a small village in India. This farmer was illiterate and lived a modest life, working tirelessly on his small farm. Near his farm was a small river where he would go to bathe every morning. One day, after his bath, he stumbled upon a rock that looked unlike any other he had seen. It had an unusual shine, and something deep inside him told him this rock was special—he believed it was a diamond.
Excited, he ran to his wife and showed her the rock, saying, “Look, my dear, see what I have found? This rock is a diamond, I just know it.” But his wife, laughing, dismissed his belief. “You found a diamond among all those ordinary rocks? That’s ridiculous! Just go back to work and throw that rock back where you found it.”
Feeling dejected, the farmer put the rock back in his pocket. But the next morning, he looked at the rock again and that same belief stirred in him—he was convinced it was a diamond. Determined, he showed it to his best friend, who also laughed it off. “My good friend, I hate to burst your bubble, but this rock is no diamond. Diamonds are found in Africa, not India, and they’re buried deep within the earth. I suggest you throw it away and forget about it.” Once again, defeated, the farmer kept the rock in his pocket.
Yet, something inside him refused to let go. He took the rock to the village jeweler, who examined it and said, “Well, this may or may not be a diamond. The only way to know for sure is to have it examined by an expert with a special machine in Japan.” The jeweler, too, advised the farmer to forget about the rock, but the farmer’s belief was unshaken.
Despite not having much money, the farmer took out a loan against his farm and flew to Japan. He met with the expert, who after intensive examination, declared that he had never seen a diamond this big in his entire career. The expert offered the farmer $20 million for the rock. That rock was later cut into several diamonds, including a beautiful pink diamond that was sold to British royalty and now sits on Queen Elizabeth’s crown.
The next time you see the crown on the queen’s head, remember where that pink diamond came from and how it all started with someone believing in themselves when no one else did.
The farmer’s wife didn’t believe in him, his best friend didn’t believe in him, even the jeweler didn’t believe in him. But what truly mattered was that he believed in himself. That belief, that unwavering conviction, was what led him to discover one of the world’s most beautiful diamonds.
So, what about you?
If this farmer could believe in himself despite all the doubts and dismissals, the question is—can you?
The next time you’re faced with doubt, whether from others or within yourself, remember this story and ask yourself: What would happen if you believed?
Love
Sumit Banerjee
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