The Lady Who Is #madeofgreat

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

-          Bob Marley

How does one measure ‘greatness’? Is it the number of trophies and medals you have? Or is it the number of digits in your bank balances? Surely, we look for greatness in our cricket players and our movie stars, but we not succeed in viewing the idols of greatness that are near to us. No, according to me, the above quote of Bob Marley sums up greatness perfectly. The only flaw in the quote is that Marley used the word ‘he’, whereas in my case the person who has always inspired me and made me strive for greatness is a lady. A strong, bold and gentle lady. My mother.

What drives her is not wealth or power, but simply - love
(Courtesy: browniephotography)

That’s right. My mother is an all-rounder. She has managed to balance work, home, kids and even the several social causes that she supports. I often used to wonder what drives her. One day it became obvious to me, that the passion that runs in her veins comes simply from the love in her heart. Love for her family, friends, work, fellow human beings and all living things. Love is the most powerful emotion. Its what can make you go to the edge of your limits and beyond. 

Therefore, my motto in life became “W.W.M.M.D.” (“What Would My Mother Do”). Here are just a few tips and life-hacks my saintly mother taught me:

Focus on the Solution: Whenever I get furious, I remember all the times I screwed up in life, and my mother, instead of beating me or shouting at me, would just sit me down and talk to me. She’s always solution oriented. It’s like Eldridge Cleaver said, “If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem.” When something goes wrong, there’s no point crying over the spilt milk, the only thing you can do is try to solve it or mitigate the damage as much as possible.

Walk the walk, rather than talk the talk: Actions speak louder than words. My mother is the best example of this. She didn't just tell me to work hard and be good. She did it herself. Like Bapu said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Instead of just trying to make me better human being, she herself became a great human being, and that has made all the difference. If you want to bring out the greatness in others, make sure you are #madeofgreat yourself.

Be better today than what you were yesterday: My mother taught me to compare myself to nobody but myself. “The only time you look in your neighbour’s bowl is to make sure that they have enough. You don't look in your neighbour’s bowl to see if you have as much as them.” We have to strive to improve. Physically, mentally and spiritually. Never be static. The moment we stop moving forward and upward, we fall into a rut.

Happiness is a choice: Truly, at any given point of time one can simply choose to be happy. If you have the right attitude, you can find joy in anything and anyone. If you don’t’, then no matter who or what you have, it will never be enough.

Believe: My mother isn't just blindly optimistic, she really believes in a brighter future. The most significant events in your life won’t always happen because of things you do, but also because of things that happen to you. There is a plan for all of us. Of course, that doesn't mean that you don’t have control over your life. What we do defines us. However, you can’t loose grasp over the fact that sometimes bad things just happen. At such times, you just need to have faith. Always, hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

Believe in karma if you want, but don’t rely on it: This may sound strange, but it is absolutely irrelevant that whether doing good to others means that good will happen to us. A person must do good because its the right thing to do. That is all. You don’t help your fellow human being, with the expectation that you will get something in return for it. The joy you bring to others is itself the end result. That is the fruit of our efforts.

Anyone can be #madeofgreat: Like happiness, even greatness is a choice. Hard work, perseverance, humility and compassion for all living things- that is what greatness is made of. My mother is a testament to that. These qualities can also be seen in other people who are #made of great and have influenced me, such as Bapu, Mother Teresa, Lionel Messi and Usain Bolt. No wonder Tata Motors has chosen youth icon Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador, after all, they are both #madeofgreat. <wink>. Messi is driven by the dream of being the best and Tata Motors is driven by design, technology and the road ahead. So, what drives you?

So, I think my readers have heard enough from me today. I'm going to stop talking about greatness now, and am going out to try and achieve. Before I leave, I wan to leave my readers with just one question: What do you think of Tata Motor's association with Lionel Messi? Reply in the comments. Thanks. Live long and prosper.

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