Ok, there may be a hyperbole there. But I don’t want to lose the essence.

Saying we are living in tough times is an understatement. Depending on what lens you put on, the world can appear to be heading for the apocalypse that Hollywood predicts every other Friday. Trump fiasco has grown from election entertainment to outright panic and highlighting the obvious perils of his views would be insulting the IQ of my readers.  Once a BRIC pillar, Brazil is grappling with an unprecedented politics and economic crisis. EU’s failure in handling the Migrant mayhem is downright embarrassing and every boat going down is a blot on humanity. Brexit referendum is only going to compound its problems further. ISIS is ensuring that no human is allowed to sleep in peace. China sneezing has spread a bout of cold across global markets, such has been the over-dependence on one country to shoulder global growth. Arrogance of bottomless Saudi coffers has sent oil prices crashing and by the time the new normal sets in, hundreds of thousands of jobs would have been sacrificed. Kim Jong-Un’s nuclear rhetoric continues to shamefully hide the abysmal economic conditions in the pariah nation and keeps naval forces in the region on tenterhooks. To top it all, ice caps are accelerating to turn into water and more efforts should probably be put in to develop under-water urbanization technology than driverless cars.

Sigh!

But that’s what baffles me. I am sure every generation sees the threats its world faces as the gravest ever – and yet, somehow, we march on and there are enough statistics to show that we are actually living in much safer times. I dedicate this resilience to human spirt and that leads me to this outrageous theory that you read in my headline.

Most of us live boring lives, where the drudgery of daily survival consumes all our energy. We strive to scout for inspiration all around us so as to refuel and get ready for that next Monday. And when everyone around this planet does the same, the human spirit stands up to tackle the next challenge with the same vigour – and that’s what keeps this world rocking. Hence,  you need a unifier that gives people hope, that shows them what you read in self-help books can actually be achieved in practice, that distracts them from their stressful lives and gives them  passion and exuberance for something that has no direct relation to their personal lives – and sports is that glue that holds our race together.

How else do I explain I, an Indian, having a beer at 3 am with a Malaysian in a remote corner of Borneo watching a European and a South American country battle the ball to become the world champion in a sport where both of our respective countries suck big time?

Sports take us to a world where we believe anything is possible; where a David beats a Goliath not just in books; where rags to riches stories play out every year; where perfection, talent, dedication, fighter attitude, staunch focus, ability to hold your nerve, soaking in pressure of the highest order and ultimately, standing on top of the world are facets of life that every one of us aspires to experience, but barely anyone can.  The thrill of those extra-time minutes where a goal could change lives…the ecstasy of a win in the last over of a tight game…the serenity of the music that Barca’s tiki-taka creates…that’s the passion that draws us into a zone where our worldly worries hide behind a screen of utopia.

West Indies had no business winning that world cup final last week.  But they won not because of Brathwaite or Stokes – they won because they believed in themselves.  And why did passions run high with so many close matches in one tournament? Because that  sport is in our blood – rich or poor, smart or dumb – it binds everyone together.  

Then there is the god of tennis.  Having talent and skill is one thing – but making the most of it to rewrite all record books is another. So when a kid picks up a racket today, he tries to ape Roger and dreams of emulating that fine backhand down the line. That kid can dare to dream, and that smile on his face is thanks to what Federer has brought to the world.

And yet in the same era comes a maverick, the one that shows that even if you are not blessed with the sublime talent of the god, sheer hard work, discipline, focus, fitness and strive for perfectionism can get you to achieve the unthinkable. Djoker’s dominance in a Federer era is nothing short of a miracle – it breathes belief into the vanquished, whispering confidently that nothing is impossible.

When you are knocked down again and again by life, it is easy to vanish in the shadows of mediocrity. But a glance at the life of one Mr Agassi is enough to breathe zest into the lifeless of souls. (Please read ‘Open’ if you haven’t – I don’t think you will ever read a better autobiography than that) How to get back on your feet, conquer the demons in your mind and surpass the seemingly finite capabilities of your own body is stuff legends like him are made of.

And if it all there is doubt on what the human body and mind is capable of, we don’t need to look beyond the lightning Bolt. To hold both 100 and 200 m world records for such a long time and win 6 golds in Olympic sprints in times when fraction of seconds sift the winners from the also rans is testimony to what you can achieve if you set your mind to it.

But nothing beats what the world is witnessing this EPL season. There can be no better example of what dedication, focus, teamwork and above all, fearless belief in your own abilities can achieve. Leicester City was bottom of the table this time last year, a year where they were just promoted to be eligible to play in the league of big boys. Today, Leicester sits pretty at the top of the table and if they play like they have this season, lifting the trophy would likely be the most unbelievable triumph in recent football history. EPL is tough business, highly competitive, way tougher than other leagues where only a few dominate. In this light, one should just see how Leicester have played this season. Absolutely fearless, aggressive, a nothing to lose attitude donned on their faces, and a belief in their eyes that they can win any match. They don’t look for the trophy – they take each day as it comes and wear their passion on their sleeves, undaunted by the big names they have to face every week. What Claudio Ranieri has done with his team should be captured in the leadership lessons of business school case studies.

Leicester City story is a rebuff to the gloom in the world today – and I don’t think I exaggerate here.

The crux of the matter is that we need heroes – heroes who can inspire us to achieve what the mundane world tells us to forget. We need a Messi to show us no skills are inhuman and a Saina to remind humble beginnings are no deterrent to extraordinary achievements if you have the will. We are all needy, trapped in a bubble that we feel is impenetrable. We need to be inspired, and sports provides us the belief through its fascinating lessons for life that we can be much more than what we think we are.

Sports turns the unreal into real – and that faith is what the world needs right now.