Novak Djokovic: "I dreamed of winning Wimbledon when I was 7"
In the latest episode of his 'Self Mastery Series' on Instagram, Novak Djokovic caught up with Brain Performance expert Jim Kwik. During the conversation Djokovic talked about how he first dreamed of winning Wimbledon when he was just a kid, despite all the odds being against him at the time.
Jim Kwik had a few intriguing aspects of his own life to share; he spoke about how a brain injury suffered when he was a child severely inhibited his learning process. In due course, Kwik developed innovative techniques to enhance his learning power and tap into the limitless potential of his mind.
The brain performance expert further said that the human brain is the most sophisticated supercomputer known to humankind. Kwik spoke about how a healthy mind complements a healthy body, and that good sleep acts as a fuel to brain development.
Perhaps most interestingly, Kwik stated that dreams can be manifestations of a person's potential reality. According to the American, a healthy subconcious mind discovers ways of achieving goals and problems that the conscious mind is often incapable of.
In this respect, Novak Djokovic said that he could relate to Kwik's words as he had a dream as a seven-year-old that later turned into reality.
Novak Djokovic's dream that came true
"Talking about dreams, I had a very vivid dream when I was seven. I saw myself holding a Wimbledon trophy," Novak Djokovic said.
But when Djokovic first dreamed about lifting the coveted trophy, he and his family were struggling to make ends meet in the midst of the Yugoslav war. Tennis was perhaps the last priority for the family when their very lives were at stake.
Yet, the Serb managed to keep his tennis ambitions alive in a country that had no tennis tradition or infrastructure for the sport. The family rallied together in tough times to ensure that Djokovic had the best opportunity to fulfill his potential.
Five years after turning professional in 2003, Novak Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title at the 2008 Australian Open, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. And three and a half years after that, the then 24-year-old realized his childhood dream by beating arch-rival Rafael Nadal in a four-set Wimbledon final.
What else did Novak Djokovic and Jim Kwik talk about?
Novak Djokovic gave Jim Kwik a sneak peek into his routine as a tennis player.
The World No. 1 told the brain performance expert that he is an early riser. Djokovic always tries to get to bed before midnight, since he finds that he gets his best sleep between 1 AM and 4 AM. Naturally, that isn't always possible when he is in the middle of tournaments - some of which have schedules that extend late into the night.
But Djokovic looks at sleep as an almost spiritual experience, and accords it a place of priority in his life.
"Sleep is the best meditation, as Dalai Lama said. I am a strong believer of the same," Djokovic said.
Both Djokovic and Kwik agreed about the benefits of following a disciplined diet, which helps keep the mind in optimum health.
The interaction ended on a hilarious note with Jim Kwik saying "Those who serve well in life tend to win," in response to which Djokovic referenced his famous weapon of choice - which happens to be the opposite of the serve.
"But my strength is returning," Djokovic said with a laugh.