Mohandas Gandhi was the pre-eminent ideological and political leader of India during the Indian independence movement. He pioneered Satyagraha; which is defined as resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience. This is a philosophy based on complete non-violence.
This idea assisted India in gaining its independence, and provided motivation for civil rights and freedom all across the world.
After assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns to ease poverty, expand women’s rights, build religious and ethnic amity, end “untouchability,” and increase economic self-reliance.
Gandhi lived very modestly in a self-sufficient residential community. He wore the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl that he hand-spun. He ate vegetarian food, experimented with a fruitarian diet, and fasted as a means of self-purification and protest.
…Without further adieu, I present to you the 5 must-read life lessons from Gandhi:
5 Must-Read Life Lessons from Gandhi:
1. Be the Change
“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
Be the example, be the leader. If you lead properly people will follow, and together you will change the world. Anyone can complain, anyone can blame, and most do, but if you desire to change, then “you” be the change.
2. Ask the Right Questions
“The power to question is the basis of all human progress.”
The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the quality of the questions that you dare to ask. Are you asking the right questions? Are you asking the right people? You can’t get answers, without questions; you can’t make progress, without an inquiring mind.
3. Always Act
“Have a bias towards action – let’s see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away.”
If you’re going to be biased, be biased towards making something happen today. Tomorrow never comes, any progress to be made, must be made today. It must be made right now!
If you don’t act now, you don’t have a future, just a longer today. Gandhi said, “The future depends on what we do in the present.”
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
It’s not “weaklings” who are quick-to-forgive; it’s those who are strongest. The ability to forgive quickly is a sign of strength. How strong are you?
If you’ve been weak in the past, you can begin today to be strong.
5. Monitor Your Beliefs
“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”
In short, your beliefs will create your destiny. What do you believe? What do you believe about yourself, your future, and your potential? What you believe, you will surely become.