In 1920, one man stood before a nation of 320 million people and asked them to do the unthinkable—fight without fighting.
A saint, igniting a revolution, to win a war, without guns.
His name?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
The mission?
Liberation through non-violence.
Imagine leading a movement like this with no political power, no army, & only three pieces of rough cloth to his name—two to wear, one to sleep on.
This is mind bending, soul stretching, “super human” type of influence.
Wouldn’t you agree?
But what does this have to do with you and me and our daily lives as home business entrepreneurs?
Surprisingly, more than you might think.
The Power of Leading with Principles
Gandhi wasn’t born a saint.
In fact, as a boy, he wrestled with faith and became an atheist.
He was engaged at 8, married at 12, and by law school, had devoured 80 books on Christianity.
The Sermon on the Mount touched him deeply—especially the radical idea of returning good for evil and “loving your enemies.”
As far as I know, he didn’t run out and begin to preach.
Instead, he began to practice.
As an attorney, he refused to prosecute for debt and rejected cases he deemed unjust.
(If only we had more lawyers like that today, right?) 😉
How many leaders today, do you think would walk away from a paycheck on principle alone?
In 1919, British authorities enacted The Rowlatt Act, which put even greater restrictions on freedom of speech & press for the Indian people. Gandhi responded by issuing a call for active civil disobedience against the government.
Unfortunately, the disobedience turned violent and 53 died as a result.
Even though Gandhi was soulfully opposed to any form of harm to life, and did not intend for this to happen, he was held responsible and brought before a judge.
You can almost hear the just excuses & pleas for his freedom you’d think he’d make to defend himself.
He did the opposite.
He took total responsibility and said to the judge,
“I wish to endorse ALL the blame the learned Advocate-General has thrown on my shoulder… Thinking over these deeply, and sleeping over them night after night… it’s impossible for me to disassociate myself from these diabolical crimes… I should have known the consequences of every one of my acts. I am deeply sorry for it, and I am therefore here to submit not to light penalty but to the highest penalty. I do not ask for mercy… I am here, therefore, to invite and cheerfully submit to the highest penalty that can be inflicted upon me… “
The judge sentenced him to 6 years in prison.
Instead of making excuses, he took full responsibility and requested the highest penalty.
Leadership, as he lived it, wasn’t about control—it was about example.
Nourishing Seeds Of Setback With Water & Sunshine
Of his time in prison he said,
“I feel happy. My nature likes loneliness. I love quietness. And now I have opportunity to engage in studies that I had to neglect in the outside world.”
He faced his lot with a smile, drew up a detailed schedule of study and pursued it faithfully for the entire time he was imprisoned.
By choosing to focus on what he could control, and make good use of his time, he was able to turn something as horrible as slavery into an asset for future freedom.
Success Without Compromise
1 golden thread of Gandhi’s genius was knowing that brute force always backfires.
He saw that if India won its freedom through violence, it would only replace one tyrant with another.
He told his people a path of violence would be suicidal, not only because they were an unarmed people, but also because,
“History teaches one that those who have, no doubt with honest motives, ousted the greedy by using brute force agains them, have in their turn become a prey to the disease of the conquered… My interest in India’s freedom will cease if she adopts violent means. For their fruit will be not freedom, but slavery.”
Sound familiar?
How many businesses “win” by cutting ethical corners, only to implode later?
How many leaders burn out or destroy relationships in the name of success?
Gandhi understood a truth most people miss: Winning the wrong way is really, just another kind of losing.
Leading In Business, The Gandhi Way
What if instead of chasing quick wins, you built something based on values so strong that no competitor, economy, or trend could shake them?
What if your audience, customers, or team followed you not because you had the best product, but because they believed in you based on the example you set?
Gandhi didn’t just lead India—he led with India.
And that’s the secret: Real leadership is about inspiring people to take action, not in forcing them to comply.
Example, not force.
Love, not fear.
Thanks so much for reading my friend!
I hope this post, highlighting Gandhi’s example, has shined a little light on your path today.
Love to hear your thoughts below.
All the best,
Paul
PS: If you enjoyed this content, you may want to consider subscribing to my email list here.