Golf has helped Manisha Girotra understand about precision & team work

Girotra feels the key is to take one sport and sustain it through life.

By Masoom Gupte, ET Bureau | Feb 06, 2019, 10.32 AM IST

Manisha Girotra, CEO, Moelis India, on how a game of golf does wonders for her mental and physical health.

Body
“I feel the key is to take one sport and sustain it through life. My father introduced my brother and me to golf. My brother of course is a much better golfer. But I think that’s something that has stayed. It gets you out, makes you one with nature. It’s a team sport. It’s not a very energetic sport. But there is a lot of precision in the sport. Just exercise through walk etc. It’s a healthy way of living and learning about team work always helps. I would like to be much regular than I am currently. But balancing work, home, kids can be a lot. I still play at least a couple of times a month. Though I’d like it to be a lot more. I play at the Willingdon Club (South Mumbai). Plus, I practise some amount of yoga. Those are the only two things I do. I’d like to do a lot more.”

Mind
“I think playing golf works in two ways for me. One is the physical activity. The second is the benefits for the mind. It de-stresses you. If you are reading a book for instance, your mind does tend to drift to work or other things that you are stressed about. But playing a game forces you to focus on the sport. For the four hours or so that you play, you don’t end up thinking of anything else. When you are playing with three other people, you want to do better than them. If you are playing with a partner, you don’t want to let them down. Your mind just switches off for the duration of the game. I feel sport contributes more to your mental health than your physical fitness. When you are playing a game of tennis, you have to focus on the ball that is hitting you for 45 minutes.”

Soul
“I always say this to everyone that the best thing you can do for your soul is to spend time with your family. And by family, I don’t mean your immediate family. You will always spend time with your children. What we neglect in our journeys are our parents, our aunts, our uncles (the extended family). I am a product of a family where my paternal and maternal aunts contributed hugely to my upbringing. And I think neglected that in the earlier part of my life because I was so unidimensionally focused on my work. I think that (spending time with the family) is really important because no one makes you feel as loved, as wanted as your extended family does because they are really not looking for anything from you. You don’t have to be someone else. You don’t have to be guarded. It makes you feel carefree and happy. It enriches you. Your childhood friends are also people you should always be in touch with. They know exactly who you are. They keep you real. Prayer is also something that is important for me. I believe in that. My personal time with God is something that strengthens me and in my weak moments, I’ve always found strength in it.”

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