Shane Watson's pick-me-ups? Music, sleep, meditation

The biggest issue—and this is across the board—just comes down to confidence. It's about people's confidence going up and down and riding the wave of results. The one thing that most human beings are absolutely obsessed with is "results". That's because results define what we do in regards to whether we get picked for

- Mahalakshmi Prabhakaran

Do sports people ever retire? You are wont to ask this question especially when you observe the trajectory of Australian cricketer Shane "Watto" Watson's career has taken ever since he announced his retirement from all forms of the game in late 2020. After a trailblazing career that saw him earn a place as one of the world's best all-rounders, Watson's post-retirement jaunt has seen him take on new roles with just as much élan. In 2024, he put all his learnings and experiences from winning—and losing—on field to pen The Winner's Mindset, a motivational book that imparts readers with guidance on how to be 'performance-ready in any arena of life', to quote a blurb from the book. The book has evolved into a course as well that the 44-year-old teaches.

"It's sad that we don't get taught in school about how to unlock our minds or what are the right thoughts to have or how to perform at our very best and bring the very best version of ourselves to every performance across the board. So, writing and teaching The Winner's Mindset has been one of the most joyful journeys that I've been on," he says. In this email interview with Mint, Watson who is currently busy with his commentary assignment for IPL 2025, talks about how he stays fighting fit in his 40s and shares tips on how to develop a positive, resilient mindset. Edited excerpts: