You'll be a man my son.

IF

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

-R. Kipling

Lines from Kipling's 'If' appear over the player's entrance to Wimbledon's Centre Court. reflection of the poem's timeless and inspiring quality. I was introduced to it by my brother. It 's his favourite. It is now mine as well. The poem was inspired by Dr Leander Starr Jameson, who in 1895 led a raid by British forces against the Boers in South Africa, subsequently called the Jameson Raid. This defeat increased the tensions that ultimately led to the Second Boer War. The British press, however, portrayed Jameson as a hero in the middle of the disaster, and the actual defeat as a British victory.

Throughout the poem, situations are described that all relate to the theme of self-belief and perseverance. The first line of the first stanza reads, “If you can keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you.” This line fundamentally sums up the entire message of the poem. Believe in yourself and never surrender to those around you. Second, the message also is not just standing firm and never budging, but doing so while all odds are against you and all circumstances point to stoppage and letdown, as well as having self-confidence and belief in one’s abilities. The first two lines of the second stanza read, “If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; /If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,” imply a nimbleness in one’s resolve and fortitude; that is to say, standing firm whilst keeping a goal in mind, and not allowing one’s self to get distracted.

The first four lines of the third stanza read, “If you can make one heap of all your winnings/And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss/And lose, and start again at your beginnings/And never breath a word about your loss,” suggesting that willpower and determination are a stipulation even after fiasco or a loss. Even when all is lost, never cede, but build back up with what you have. Lastly, the first two lines of the final stanza read, “If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue/Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,” stating that one can keep their origins in mind and never get too big. They keep integrity and never put themselves above others.

“IF” acts as a panacea for me. I have always driven inspiration from this poem. I read it each time I sin, I lose, quit or withdraw or feel low. It gives me the thrust, the courage to stand alone against all odds. And each time I do rise like the phoenix full of spirit, zeal, confidence and determination.