Celebrating Muhammad Ali on International Mentoring Day

Happy Birthday Muhammad Ali!

Muhammad Ali, known for his charisma both inside and outside the boxing ring, also shared wisdom on life, leadership, and mentoring. Ali’s legacy is what we celebrate today by celebrating his birthday as International Mentoring day.

One of his well-known quotes? is:

“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see.”

Ali’s confidence and belief in his own abilities is something a mentor can pass on to their mentees — showing them their worth and pushing them to exceed their expectations.His life and approach to boxing, activism, and community leadership often demonstrated the role of a mentor. He mentored others by leading by example, instilling belief, and fostering resilience, showing that mentoring isn’t just about sharing knowledge but also inspiring greatness in others.

Ali has been referred to as "the first rapper”. These are his words:

I've wrestled with alligators, I've tussled with a whale.

I done handcuffed lightning and throw thunder in jail.

You know I'm bad.

Just last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick.

I'm so mean, I make medicine sick.

Ali’s six principles to success are also qualities that a good mentor can help cultivate. They are confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect, and spirituality . These reflect core values that definitely aid personal growth, fulfilment, and meaningful impact and also be steps to make one a great mentor.

?Dissecting them with the help of his Quotes:

1. Confidence:? A quality the mentor should have on the mentee to help him/her identify their true potential, thus? identifying it even before they do.

"I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I was really the greatest.”

With confidence:

• you push through doubts and maintain a positive attitude, even when things get tough.
• you to take action even in the face of uncertainty and setbacks.
• you’re more likely to trust your decisions
• communicate effectively
• embrace challenges.?

2. Conviction: It is not just about belief; it’s about a firm, unwavering resolve to pursue that belief to take the mentee forward.

“Impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

People with conviction have:

• A clear sense of direction?
• Are less likely to be swayed by external influences or challenges.?
• A strong belief in their mission or goals
• Focus and? are driven, even when faced with obstacles.

3. Dedication:This is the commitment to putting in the effort over time to reach your goals.?

“I don't count the sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting because they're the only ones that count. That's what makes you a champion.”

With dedication an individual :

• Remains consistent, working diligently and persistently.?
• Builds momentum, and? compounds into substantial progress.?
• Shows others that you are serious about your goals, which can inspire trust and open opportunities.

4. Giving: It? is about offering your time, resources, or expertise to others without expecting anything in return. It fosters a sense of community and builds goodwill.

“The Service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”

Giving emphasizes:

• Success isn’t just about personal gain, about contributing to the well-being of others.
• Creating strong relationships, trust, and a positive reputation.?
• A sense of fulfilment, leading to personal satisfaction and joy.?
• Sharing support, knowledge, and opportunities leading to mutual growth.

5. Respect: It is about treating others with dignity, understanding, and fairness. It means acknowledging the value of people, regardless of their status, background, or beliefs.?

“Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.”

When you show respect to others:

• You build trust and rapport.?
• People are more likely to support you when they feel valued and respected.?
• It encourages a positive environment where collaboration and creativity can thrive.?
• It helps in navigating conflicts, as mutual respect can often resolve disagreements more constructively.

6. Spirituality: Spirituality here, is? about cultivating a sense of purpose, connection, and mindfulness. It’s the inner drive that helps you stay grounded, balanced, and aligned with your values.

“The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

Spirituality provides :

• Clarity, peace, and resilience.?
• Helps you stay focused on the bigger picture,?
• Provides the motivation to continue even when rewards seem far off.?
• Nurtures qualities like patience and humility.

When combined, these six principles create a holistic approach to success that integrates the inner (spirituality, conviction, respect) and outer (confidence, dedication, giving) dimensions of personal and professional life.

• Confidence allows you to take action, while conviction ensures your actions are grounded in meaningful beliefs.
• Dedication keeps you on the path, and giving ensures that your journey is not just for self-interest but also for the benefit of others.
• Respect builds strong, lasting relationships that sustain your success, and spirituality keeps you aligned with your higher purpose and resilient in the face of adversity.

Together, these principles offer a framework for achieving success that goes beyond just reaching goals. They create a well-rounded approach to living a life of integrity, growth, and positive impact.

Ali’s legacy, both in and out of the ring, shows how mentorship can help others rise to their potential, even when they don't see their potential themselves.

Ending with my favourite Muhhamad Ali quote on Self Awareness :

“Often it isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out, it's the little pebble in your shoe.”

What has been the best quality you admire in your mentor?

Anyone you would like to acknowledge?

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A journey I started On February 26th, 2021, is a human library audio podcast called "U n' I with Rashmi Shetty" exploring the Uniqueness & Individuality each of us carries that in a way makes a difference to the world at large. Have noticed in each of the 161 conversations, each of them are connected to the #voiceinme and thus found their purpose.

The next episode to be uploaded tomorrow will be with the amazing Vandana Suri . Celebrating this amazing mentor to women from different walks of life. Vandana is the founder of Taxshe, a World Bank and UNDP awardee for creating safe mobility solutions for women and kids. One one hand they have women cabs driving kids to schools and tuitions and women to offices and late night airport drives. On the other hand they train women clients to self drive and just get off the risk of abuse in public transport itself. Taxshe has been around for a decade now and created 1.2 million abuse free drives and has trained over 2500+ women to be driving independently. Vandana is an ex investment banker, turned cabbie and driving instructor with a lot of pride, and she believes it's important to be mad to ignite a revolution. She is a TEDX speaker, has got multiple awards which she has lost track on the numbers, but she believes what actually counts is how many women have joined the revolution or got impacted by the same.

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