I used to watch a lot of motivational films and videos to remain

In the words of S. Sreesanth, the fiery cricketer whose life was marked by soaring triumphs and crushing trials, we find the confession of a soul seeking strength: “I used to watch a lot of motivational films and videos to remain positive.” Here is not the boast of one who claims to be unbreakable, but the honest truth of one who admits his need for reminders of courage. For even the strongest warriors sometimes falter, and in those hours they search for voices, stories, and images that can lift their hearts and steady their steps.

To turn to motivational films is to recognize the power of story. From the dawn of civilization, men gathered around fires to hear tales of heroes and gods. These stories were not mere diversions; they were weapons against despair, shields against hopelessness. When Sreesanth sought refuge in films and videos, he was joining a tradition older than written words: the tradition of finding light in the stories of others. For to see another rise from the ashes is to believe that we, too, can rise.

The need to remain positive in the face of adversity is a battle known to all. The ancients spoke of this as the war of the spirit. Marcus Aurelius, the stoic emperor, wrote in his Meditations that the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. If one fills the mind with shadows, the world darkens; if one fills it with light, even the darkest day may yet reveal beauty. Sreesanth, beset by storms of criticism and doubt, chose to color his mind with light through the images of victory, resilience, and triumph he found in motivational stories.

History gives us countless examples of this. Think of Nelson Mandela, imprisoned for twenty-seven long years. How did he endure? He filled his mind with words of courage, reciting lines from poems such as Invictus: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” These words, like Sreesanth’s films and videos, became companions, strengthening the heart when the body was weary. Without such reminders, even the bravest might collapse under the weight of despair.

The meaning of Sreesanth’s words is this: inspiration is not weakness, it is nourishment. Just as the body requires food each day, so the spirit requires encouragement. To deny this need is to starve the soul. But to feed it with images, words, and stories of courage is to build an inner reservoir of strength that can be drawn upon in times of trial. The ancients would say: as fire is kindled by fire, so the heart is kindled by the flame of another’s courage.

The lesson for us is clear. Do not wait until despair overwhelms you to seek inspiration. Make it a daily practice to fill your mind with words and stories that strengthen your resolve. Read a page from a great book, listen to a voice that uplifts, watch a film that stirs your spirit. These are not escapes from reality—they are preparations for it. They remind us that countless others have endured and triumphed, and therefore, so can we.

Practical counsel is this: begin and end your day with something that strengthens your spirit. In the morning, feed your mind with one thought of courage; in the evening, remind yourself of one story of resilience. Let these be your anchors, so that when the storms of life come—as they surely will—you may stand unshaken. For as Sreesanth has shown, the path to remaining positive lies not in denying hardship, but in constantly refreshing the soul with the power of motivation.

Thus, his words endure as a teaching for generations: no man is so strong that he needs no encouragement, and no heart is so weak that it cannot be lifted by the flame of another’s story. Fill your days with that flame, and you too will find the strength to rise, again and again, until your own life becomes the story that inspires others.