Mahatma Gandhi, a man of true words, a great leader, a true fighter who set an example of simple living and high thinking for us. Non-violence, truth, inspiration and great leadership qualities are what come to our mind when we hear his name.
His determinations were strong and ideas firm enough to reach his ultimate goal. He left his successful career of a lawyer to participate in the long chase for Independence along with other freedom fighters. I can find nearly every attributes of a successful leader in this great man.
His lessons have always inspired me and I truly believe that there are a lot of things you can learn from the values of Gandhism.
- Innovation: Non-violence probably was one of the greatest innovations of Mahatma Gandhi. I don't think history has any track records of any freedom fighter or any country winning the battle of independence using the weapon of non-violence. But Gandhi was the only leader to make use of non-violence successfully to win a battle. His Dandi March was a successful effort where he used his weapon of non-violence.
- Simplicity: I do not think history can ever produce a simple man like Mahatma Gandhi. Being such a great leader his way of living, teaching, books and even his quotes were very simple. His simplicity reflects in his ideas and way of living. Simplicity is probably his greatest virtue.
- Truth: Gandhi believed in true living and his experiments with truth were countless. He always believed that being true to life can make your life easier. You may face quite a lot of hardships initially for being truthful but at the end you will emerge as a true winner.
- Continuous learning: Gandhi being a great learner always believed in the art of continuous learning. His capability as a learner gave him the real authority over people. His lessons were highly popular as they motivated the common people.
- Sacrifice: This is the quality that I truly admire about this man. Not only did he sacrifice a lot in order to achieve freedom but also sacrificed quite a lot after India had gained independence. He had even denied the position of higher authorities in Government for which he was the prime choice.
- His way of leading life was a message: Inspite of being a powerful speaker and prolific writer, Gandhi spoke very slowly in personal life and when it was required. His writings were very concise yet punchy. He always wanted his way of leading life spread the message. It was his simple living that helped him in committing his life for the well being of the people and his country.
- Energetic: Gandhi was one leader who was known for his fasts. But this did not lower his confidence at all. He was an energetic leader and always encouraged his people to fight for the country.
I still remember it was in my 5th standard when I was first introduced to this great leader in my history class. The chapter was 'Mahatma Gandhi- Father of Nation' (I was raised in India). Since then whatever he said and wrote has inspired me throughout. What I admire in this man is his great display of strength.
He never used force to bend someone against their will and rather achieved the goals through his weapon of non-violence. History has given us great leaders and kings who have fought and shed bloods to gain freedom. But this one man was against all such, and yet, it was his firm belief in non-violence that ultimately bought freedom for India. The mighty British lions could not stand against his determination.
Later on Gandhi became the source of inspiration in other countries to stand up against British rule. Martin Luther King Jr. Nelson Mandela were inspired by this man.
His stress-free life was the key to his strength. He meditated regularly and prayed for long hours. Though he was an ideal to many but that did not change him as a person. He continued leading the simple life with less distractions and commitments.
According to Mahatma Gandhi ""If one has wealth, it does not mean that it should be thrown away and wife and children should be turned out of doors. It simply means that one must give up attachment of these things!" With this belief he lead many protests for the country, went for rigorous fasts and still did not step back or lose his determination.
Gandhi's way of living simple life has inspired me as a person to a great extent. Life may not have all the luxurious things but you can keep yourself away from worries. You can always live up to your expectations as you will expect less from life.
Lead a simple life like the great leader and feel the difference yourself!Perhaps he was world first intentional minimalist. Wearing single piece of cloth which he himself used to weave from raw cotton, eating the food he harvested on his own. Yet, he was history's most powerful man without a weapon. Strength comes from wisdom, which we never realized before him.
Let us be all strong and determined, let's be a better person and let's make this place a better place to live.
SB is a personal Finance blogger at One Cent at a Time, who writes personal finance topics like saving money, becoming rich and earning extra money. If you have interest in personal finance, you can subscribe to his posts via eMail or RSS
Photo credit: ‘Gandhi‘ by Big Stock
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