10 Lessons On Achieving Success We Can Learn From Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, is perhaps the most written about personality in the history of India. Our history books would tell us how he won us our freedom with his sheer courage and determination. How he made the British shudder with his simplicity and steadfastness? What new fact do we tell you about him then?

Leaving aside the details of his political achievements, we talk about Gandhi the man. What is it that makes a man so great so as to influence an entire nation and change the course of history? How did a simple boy from Porbandar become the father of the nation? What made Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi a leader powerful enough to lead the masses?

1. Being Politically Correct Goes A Long Way In Making People Agree With You.

The reason the British found themselves helpless in front of Gandhi was that he was always politically correct. Governments can punish you when you do harm to property or life, but what excuse do they have when all you are doing is sit peacefully with a placard in your hands?

2. A True Leader Never Compromises His Principles.

When there was violence at Kakori during the Civil Disobedience Movement, Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the movement despite the fact that it was going strong at that. The movement was supposed to be a non-violent movement, and that single incident at Chauri Chaura was a violation of this principle. All important leaders of the freedom struggle tried persuading him not to withdraw the movement, but Gandhi was firm. A principle had been violated, a few Britishers had been killed – the movement had to be cancelled. A true leader never compromises his beliefs.

3. Honesty Is The Best Policy Because It Saves Your Ass Minus Risks.

Sometimes being honest saves your ass way better than a white lie would. When Mohandas Gandhi was a child, he stole some gold from his brother’s bracelet, to clear their debt with the local cigarette seller. Feeling guilty about the incident, Gandhi confessed the truth in front of his father. He expected a harsh scolding, but instead his father broke into tears and hugged the frightened boy. His honest confession had melted the heart of his rather strict and righteous father.

4. Being Yourself Is The Key To Making People Respect You.

Imitating someone or something that’s in vogue is tempting. Be it clothes, manner of speaking, taste in food or lifestyle – we are imitating the world around us. When Gandhi went to London to attend the Round Table Conference, he did not take special efforts to change his attire to fit in the western country. Rather, he had his humour intact when on meeting the king at Buckingham Palace, he remarked that the king was wearing clothes enough for the two of them.

5. Invest In Yourself Because You Are The Brand You Have To Sell.

For a true leader has a set of beliefs and ideas. That is exactly what makes him someone worth following. Don’t hide or hesitate to own them up in front of the world; give the world something to reject or accept. Build your identity.

Of course, Gandhi’s strong convictions and ideologies were what made him the Mahatma we know of. But the big lesson we can take from this was how he internalised his ideologies so much so that it started reflecting in the man himself. Today we call it building a brand image. An honest one.

The iconic dhoti had a story behind it. An advocate of cleaniless, Gandhi was appalled when he saw a village woman wearing a very dirty saree. He rebuked her and asked her why she never washed her saree. The woman told him she had only one piece of clothing and she couldn’t possibly wash it and wear it at the same time. This was an eye-opener for MK Gandhi who was deeply moved by this state of poverty in India. That day, he decided to further minimalise his lifestyle, and discarded the full-length dhoti for the iconic knee-length dhoti.

6. Never Give Up.

This is an oft said but nevertheless understated lesson. If there’s one thing that’s common in all successful and great personalities in this world, that is determination. They never give up. You fail once, twice, multiple times – keep trying. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb after more than a thousand failed attempts. The one thing that kept Mahatma Gandhi going for decades was perseverance. He faced opposition, backlash, public hostility, but he kept his ground. His relations with his own family are known to have been strained due to his sometimes rigid ideologies, but never did he.

7. Give People Free Will And They’ll Always Be Loyal To You.

Gandhi never forced his ideology on people. He gave them a choice. His views about eating meat prove this point all too well. Though himself a vegetarian, he supported people’s right to eat beef. Here’s an excerpt from the ‘Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Volume 88, published online by the Gandhi Heritage Portal, which documents Gandhi’s prayer discourse on 25 July, 1947.

“In India, no law can be made to ban cow slaughter. I do not doubt that Hindus are forbidden the slaughter of cows. I have been long pledged to serve the cow. But how can my religion also be the religion of the rest of the Indians? It will mean coercion against those Indians who are not Hindus.”

No wonder he had followers from all religions.

8. Keep Calm, And the World Will Be Yours.

keeping a balanced head on your shoulders is the most important thing to do during a crisis. Nothing annoys your enemies more than seeing you calm and composed when you are down in the pits. Mahatma Gandhi’s life is an example of this fact. The well-qualified lawyer was thrown out of a train for traveling in a first-class compartment. MK Gandhi took that incident as a reason to stay back in Africa and fight against apartheid. And he did, for 21 years

9. Peaceful Resistance Gives You An Edge.

Popularly termed ‘Gandhigiri’ as in the Bollywood movie “Lage Raho Munna Bhai”, the philosophy of non-violent resistance is not only a noble concept but also a clever politically correct solution. Aggression and violence can be curbed under the pretext of the law, but a non-violent attack can’t. An angered confrontation often blurs out reason and hurts the ego; if you want to make the other person see your point of view, try the soft route. You will always be preferred to someone who blows up at the slightest of disagreements.

10. Knowing when To Say No is As Important As Saying Yes.

“A ‘no’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble,” Mahatma Gandhi, once said. One very important habit that goes a long way in the road to success is being able to say ‘no’ at the right time. Often, under pressure or due to the fear of displeasing the other person, we unwillingly agree to things we don’t want to go ahead with. Be it something as simple as eating out, or something bigger like agreeing to a marketing proposal your boss suggested, we often succumb to outside pressure.

One exceptional quality that sailed MK Gandhi through many years was determination.

Gandhi was no superhero. He was no scholar or genius and started his life as an average common man. But what he had was the determination to build a destiny, and a will to stand true to his principles.