On the field, aggression can sometimes be a positive emotion. It

Hear the words of Virat Kohli, forged in the heat of battle upon the cricketing fields: “On the field, aggression can sometimes be a positive emotion. It boosts performance and can lift your game. But over the years, I have learnt that restrained aggression is a better animal. That way, you will conserve your energy and won’t spend yourself quickly.” These words are not for athletes alone, but for all who wage the daily wars of life. They teach us that fire is good when it is harnessed, but fire without restraint consumes both the enemy and the bearer.

To feel aggression is natural, for it is the spark of survival, the primal flame that drives man to strive, to defend, to conquer. On the field, this flame can raise performance to heights unseen, giving the body strength and the mind sharpness. But unchecked, it is a raging blaze that burns out swiftly, leaving only exhaustion and regret. Thus, Kohli names a deeper wisdom: restrained aggression, a fire kept in the furnace, steady and controlled, providing lasting heat instead of a brief inferno.

The ancients knew this truth well. The samurai of Japan practiced fierce combat, yet their code of bushido demanded discipline, calm, and control. A warrior who allowed fury to master him was vulnerable, for his judgment clouded and his strikes reckless. But the one who wielded restrained aggression became unstoppable—striking with precision, conserving energy, and enduring longer than his foe. Discipline, not frenzy, made the difference between glory and downfall.

History too offers its lessons. Consider Alexander the Great at the Battle of Gaugamela. Faced with an army far larger than his own, he did not rush headlong in uncontrolled aggression. Instead, he tempered his fire with strategy, holding his lines, conserving his men’s energy, and waiting for the right moment. When the time came, he unleashed his cavalry like a bolt of lightning, breaking the Persian center and securing victory. Here we see that restrained aggression, not reckless passion, carries the power to change destiny.

Kohli’s words also reveal a personal transformation. In his youth, his unrestrained aggression was like a storm, electrifying but often costly. Over the years, through failure and triumph, he learned to master it, to channel his fire with wisdom. Such is the journey of every soul: to move from youthful recklessness to mature restraint, from wasteful bursts of energy to the steady flame of endurance. His lesson is not only for the cricket pitch, but for all arenas where passion must be guided by wisdom.

The teaching, then, is clear: passion is a gift, but without control it becomes a curse. To live well is to master the art of restrained aggression—to hold your fire until the moment demands it, to conserve your energy for the battles that matter most, to strike with precision rather than scatter your strength. This is the way of endurance, the path that leads not only to victory but to longevity.

Practical steps rise from this wisdom. In moments of anger, pause and breathe before acting; let your aggression become fuel for focus rather than fury. In your work, do not exhaust yourself in a single burst, but pace your energy for the long climb. Train your body and your mind in discipline, so that when the moment comes to strike, you can unleash power without being consumed by it. Surround yourself with those who remind you to steady your flame, not those who fan it into wasteful wildfire.

So remember Kohli’s words: “Restrained aggression is a better animal.” Let your passion burn, but keep it within the vessel of discipline. For the wild blaze dazzles and dies, but the steady fire warms, endures, and triumphs. This is the wisdom of warriors, the strength of leaders, and the secret of those who prevail when others have already fallen.