The 3 Secrets of Mandela
On the day after elections I’m reflecting on what South Africa has become and where we are going as a nation. Mandela, along with a few others, set our nation on a course which – if fully realized – will lead us to a place of safety and prosperity. As I look back over Mandela’s life I see three secrets that he applied to his life which made him the man he became. If we take those same secrets and apply them to our lives, I believe we can realize the dream he carried. Below are those three secrets. When you have finished reading them please leave us some comments. We would love to know how the secrets will affect your life!
Secret #1
Mandela could have spent his entire life blaming others for his condition in life. He had every right to blame them. He could have blamed them for torture, for lying, for enslaving, for destroying families… yet, he chose not to. He chose not to blame but to forgive instead.
There are two quotes which have always stood out to me from Mandela on forgiveness.
Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear.
And
As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew that if I didn’t leave bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.
His big secret is that he understood blame keeps you imprisoned and bound by fear. It keeps you stuck in life. In order to unlock your life blame must be removed from the table as an option for you. In it’s place, forgiveness must reside.
Secret #2
If you can no longer blame, then that leaves you with only two other options. His second secret was to realize that his original dream as a boy to be free and grow up in his community had to change. Especially once he lost his father. His dream changed many times in life eventually leading him into prison where his dream changed one last time. He came out a different man because he allowed his dream to change. He didn’t get stuck because of the circumstances of his life. He allowed his dream to change to fulfill the desires of his heart. His desires didn’t change but his dreams changed to connect his desires to his circumstances.
Secret #3
Sometimes the dream Mandela had so gripped his heart that he could not change it. Again, he could have become stuck and started to blame his circumstances but he did not. He found a way to change his circumstances. When the dream would not bend and his soul would not bend away from forgiveness then his circumstances would bend. In 1995 when South Africa hosted and won the Rugby World Cup, Nelson Mandela walked onto the field to congratulate the team. The day he walked out on the rugby pitch showed a determination to see the dream of a united country become a reality. The dream to unite white and black was so strong and yet rugby was a predominantly white sport. He could have fought it and not come to the game. He could have said that it was not right for so much money to be spent to entertain this certain segment of the population, but he did not. He changed his personal circumstances to align with his dream. He walked on to the field to support South African Rugby and in return his circumstances lined up to facilitate his dream moving one step further down the road.
So… we find ourselves 20 years down the road of democracy. Take these three secrets that Mandela practiced to bring transformation to a nation and apply them to your life and business. Stop blaming! Take control! If you need to, change your dream. If your dream cannot change then change your circumstances to align with your dreams. Either way, let’s continue the dream Mandela had (and we all have) for a better place to live that gives everyone a chance. No matter what political party is in power. It’s time we control our lives and not rely on who is in power. Apply these three secrets and your life will change.
Courtesy of Adam Bright: Juiced Strategies: 031 737 0643
Adam has been involved in organizational development for fifteen years. He is a certified Neuro Linguistic Programer, Coach Trainer and active public speaker. He is engaged in the coaching of individuals as well as coaching at an organizational level both nationally and internationally.