To Earn Respect, You Should Know To Give It

Shabbir Ali
Former Captain, Indian football team

My parents taught me to be honest, hardworking, sincere and good to all. When I was a child, I always observed that they talked in the same manner to every member of the society irrespective of that person's status. Their philosophy was, 'To earn respect, you should know to give it.' That was a huge early life lesson for me. I have played over 100 internationals for India; but, each time I stepped onto the football pitch, I remembered the core values that made my parents great - hard work, sincerity and respect for everyone. I always treated my opponents as rivals and not enemies, and that helped me in my journey to becoming a successful sportsperson.