5th of October 1869 a boy was born into a mid-ranking caste family in Guajarat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi, Wikipedia, 20.09.12). As the little boy got older he was quiet and shy. He struggled at school academically, and he also did not manage to make any friends as he did not dare interacting with anyone, in fear of being rejected and ridiculed. Through this he developed a very low self-esteem. (http://changeminds.wordpress.com/2008/09/06/mahatma-gandhi/, WordPress, 19.09.12). Today this Indian boy is known all over the world for, among several other things, being the distinguished leader of Indian independence movement, his effort for Civil rights movement in South Africa and for propounding the philosophy of Satyagraha. He is now a great inspiration for thousands of thousands of people. The boy’s name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, today known as Mahatma Gandhi.

So how did Gandhi go from being the introverted and reserved little boy to become the great leader he is known to be today?

It is well known that Gandhi went to study law in England, but before he did that he studied medicine in a local university (Ibid). This was a childhood dream of his (http://encyclopedia.com/topic/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi.aspx, Encyclopedia of World Biography, 19.09.12). Unfortunately he had to give up his medicine studies, as he failed them poorly. His family then sent him to England to study law, whereas they thought this was a study he could manage. But being a stranger in a foreign land was not easy for Gandhi. He was tantalized for his bad English, his attire and he also struggled with having enough money. But in spite of all the challenges he did manage to work hard with his studies, and he passed his law exams. After a couple of years back home in India, and a short stay in Bombay, Gandhi decided to leave home for South Africa. Nor was life in South Africa easy for Gandhi, but his stay there became a turning point for him. The discrimination against Indians in South Africa was shocking for him, and it made him realize several things. He realized that he could no longer flee from his fears, and that this was cowardice of him. He realized what he wanted to do. He wanted to fight for the human rights that every person deserved, Hindu or Muslim, Indian or African, and that is exactly what he did. (Ibid)

You do not have to be the smartest, most affluent nor the most prominent or popular person to accomplish something great. Gandhi is a tremendous example of this. If you just decide on something, and work hard enough for this, you can accomplish virtually anything. Gandhi managed, despite his bad assumptions, to become a world-known legend, and the father of a nation.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi, Wikipedia, 20.09.12.

http://changeminds.wordpress.com/2008/09/06/mahatma-gandhi/, WordPress, 19.09.12.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi.aspx, Encyclopedia of World Biography, 19.09.12