Second Innings
As of the last working day of March 2024, I’ve decided to conclude the first innings of my life. In cricketing terms, you could say I declared the innings and remained not out. Throughout this message, I’ll use cricket analogies to convey my thoughts, hoping that even those unfamiliar with the sport will grasp the essence of my journey.
Reflecting on My First Innings
My journey’s first innings began around the age of 16 when I started assisting my father in his workshop, tackling tasks like fixing punctures, repairing suspensions, and tuning cars. I’ve been at the crease for quite a while, and while my brain tells me I might be a bit late in accumulating these ‘runs’, my heart and faith reassure me that I’m right on time.
The initial phase of my innings was slow, lacking a clear strategy. I believed that my best course of action was staying at the crease and figuring things out. Initially, runs trickled in rather than flowed. However, I became too comfortable, resulting in too many dot balls and maiden overs. Simply occupying the crease wasn’t sufficient; I risked falling short in accumulating enough runs before running out of daylight—or days—plus you never know when rain might stop play!
Consequently, I adjusted my strategy later on, taking risks with job and skillset changes, ultimately establishing a business that helped me accumulate the runs needed to reach where I am today. While I sometimes question whether I should have altered my strategy sooner, I acknowledge that the time spent at the crease and the initial runs scored provided me with the confidence and safety net to embrace risk and uncertainty. Moreover, I learned so much about the rules of the game and my opponents.
A Milestone Declaration
Reflecting on my first innings, it was lengthy and, while initially slow, gradually gained momentum. My gameplay underwent significant variation, transitioning from fixing mechanical issues to addressing technological challenges, fixing businesses, and eventually supporting individuals facing personal struggles. Broken cars, broken computers, broken businesses, and then broken lives are the themes of my journey.
As for why I’ve chosen this moment to declare, it’s not due to a single significant reason but rather several small justifications. I’ve been at the crease continuously since the age of 16 and have scored enough runs to give us a fighting chance for the remainder of the game. However, a crucial reason is that April 2024 marks significant milestones for me—a milestone birthday and anniversary, alongside a financial milestone. Therefore, I believe it’s time to declare the innings and reset for the next phase of the game.
The Transition to My Second Innings
In cricket terms, this declaration is akin to taking a break from play to rest, refuel, shed the sweaty kit, and return wearing fresh whites with a refined strategy to build on our runs and defend the target. For me, this will be the longest break since the age of 16. It will serve as a physical, mental, and spiritual reset, beginning tomorrow.
This journey of self-discovery and repentance will involve spending considerable time in my head, reflecting, organising years of accumulated experiences, and formulating a strategy for the next innings—all while praying for the strength, endurance, and wisdom to execute it. The goal is to return to the crease with a rejuvenated mind, body, and soul, but more importantly, with fortified faith.
Looking Ahead
I anticipate and pray that the second innings will be enjoyable! With runs on the board, we can play aggressively, take more risks, but most importantly, relish our time at the crease and entertain the crowd. God has been kind, so we’ll have a respectable and defendable total if I get dismissed for a low score, even a duck!
For the next few weeks, I won’t be responding to inbox messages and might not post lengthy updates on this platform either. However, you can follow my activities through my Instagram stories. My handle is @anjamsohail.
We’ll return to the crease in October, where I’ll share the strategy, plans, and progress for the second innings. I don’t know exactly what I will be doing; it might be brief, or it might become my legacy—only time will tell!
Thank you all for being here. Peace and love.
Good luck with the second innings. I am very sure you have gained a lot of wisdom on the way and the world needs to know, learn and get inspired from that , look forward to more updates..
Thanks, you know you have played a part in this!
Great content Anjam bhai
Thank you!
Your reflection on starting a ‘second inning’ is both inspiring and thought-provoking. I’m curious about your decision to keep certain details, like the nature of the business, timeline, or acquisition/exit specifics, private. Was there a particular reason for focusing primarily on analogies? I’d be interested in understanding your thought process behind this approach.
Thanks for commenting! Appreciate you being here. This was first posted on my Facebook page where most followers knew about my business and had followed my journey from inception to exit, and the bumps along the way. I will write an about me page which will include the nature of the business however, as the acquisition was by PE it is normal form them to write into contract that the exit specifics are kept confidential.
I guess the main reason for using the analogy was because I am not a content writer or story teller and a batsman leaving the crease after a great innings and coming back from the pavilion with a completely different mindset, energy and goals was the closest example I could give. Now I have spent 6 months resetting and rebooting myself I can probably write a more specific how-to.
Thanks sir for your detailed reply.