An Idol to Remember

I am inspired by what Sujata wrote on Mahatma Gandhi . I am in agreement that today’s generation seem to know little about our ‘Father of the Nation.’ In the workshops that I conduct , I always draw examples of this great man and here is some of what I tell my participants.

I ask the participants – ‘What did Mahatma Gandhi say when he was thrown out of the train in South Africa?’ The reply that I often get is ‘we don’t know.’ I tell them I also do not know but my guess, looking at what happened between 1942 (Quit India Movement) and 1947(Indian Independence), is he would have said ‘ You threw me out of the train, I will throw you out of my country.’ Indeed he did it.

The Indian freedom started with Mahatma Gandhi declaring ‘ India will be free.’ It saw the light of the day on 15th August, 1947. My learning is that there exists so much power in language, conversation and declaration that it touched , moved and inspired millions of Indians to win freedom for their country. Freedom the world over has been achieved through declaration by some individual.

While concluding the session, I ask a question – ‘Who was Gandhiji’s neighbour?’ Generally I am greeted with stunned silence or some innocent ramblings. I conclude the session saying ‘Gandhiji’s neighbour will never be known. You need to be Gandhiji to be known.’

Power of Declaration

Of what use is a New Year’s wish list if it is stored in one’s inside without revelation to the outside world. This was the chatter happening within me when I was contemplating writing the New Year’s wish list.

Here is the wish list for 2009 …
On the professional front:
# Invest in coaching eight people for one and half hours per person per week for twelve weeks
# Invest in a big way in ’Change Management’ in the organization
# Invest heavily on training subordinates in Labour Laws and Industrial Relations
# Increase professional networking
On the personal front:
# Start a charitable trust in the memory of my late father
# Publish a book in remembrance of my father
# Learn Reiki and Numerology
# Attain proficiency in Tarot Card reading
# Go abroad on a visit

Of course, the objective of the wish list is to make life interesting and fulfilling. I guess, with advancing age, I am seeing the urgency of doing things. The other aspect of publishing the wish list is all about ‘DECLARATION’, and in this context shouting from the roof tops and declaring to the world becomes the first step. Generally, a lot of promises are made to the self, but how many of them are honoured is the million dollar question. Declare it to the world after the mental chatter is over, and one will see that the world has a way of reminding us about our commitments.

Mind you it’s just not about ‘declaration’ but also about the ‘power of declaration’. Great revolutions have happened across the globe through the power of declaration. Back home, Mahatma Gandhi declared ‘India will be free’. People rallied around and made sure that the declaration became a reality. Declaration becomes infectious, pieces fall in place and resources start pouring in.

In the final analysis, declaration is all about staying in integrity, owning responsibility and keeping a conversation for possibility present for oneself. It is a context in which one chooses to live. The beauty is: it begins with the willingness to be a cause in the matter of one’s life.

Let me make a humble beginning.