Driving Force

My Father – Chirag Mehta (www.chiragmehta.com)

My father has been my biggest source of inspiration and even today, he continues to inspire me. Even before I realized it, he was teaching me life’s rules and sharing tips on how to play the game by setting live examples. I have always seen him as a person with a positive attitude – even in the face of biggest hurdles. Whenever I have been in a difficult situation, his attitude has taken away teeth from the situation. He has always said that tough times are only our mental barriers. If we believe in our strengths and our ability to take over the situation, we will surely win it over.

Unfettered by the highs and lows that lace the life of any successful businessman, my father has been an extremely balanced family man. He has shown me that success in one’s personal life is what leads to success in one’s professional life too.

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of a world with peace and prosperity among fellow human beings, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion and culture. And he dedicated his life to make others see this dream through his eyes. It is amazing to think how one man could move people across the world, not with money and power, but through his faith in truth and non-violence. His life was a message – that of living in peace and harmony and loving and respecting even your enemies. This has many times inspired me to forget the shortcomings of my friends and has helped me build relations in life. Among all the powerful thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi, one that truly inspires me is, “We must become the change we want to see in the world.” This makes such great sense. The change we wish for has to start with us, in us. Only then should we expect the wave to spread on and reach other shores.

Swami Vivekananda

The power of inner strength is enough to move mountains. Swami Vivekananda has said, “In you is all power. Summon up your all-powerful nature mighty one and this whole universe will lie at your feet.” To me, he has been my teacher who has awakened my self-confidence. I have read him extensively and I have come to learn about positive thinking, firm faith and right attitude from his powerful sayings. “Never mind failures, they are quite natural, they are the beauty of life, these failures,” he has said. It’s all about our attitude – to take even failures in our stride and move on, by just believing in our capabilities. I remember the time when I had gone on long-distance cycling, I was overpowered by fatigue and finishing the task at hand looked like a burden rather than a sport I so much enjoyed. In all that confusion passing through my mind, I remembered the numerous pages I had read on conviction and self-belief from Swami Vivekananda. I decided to forget all logic and ignore all thoughts and only concentrate on my inner power. That really pulled me through to the finishing line!

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong is an undiluted example of determination and endurance. His life’s story about fighting cancer when his doctors had lost hopes and his seven consecutive wins in the Tour de France after overcoming the disease reminds us of how much is possible by a human being. Lance could have given up on life’s challenges and retired from his cycling profession but he decided to fight cancer and emerged victorious. I believe there are hidden inner resources of strength that all of us have and they emerge to back us up when we are in crisis. I admire Lance’s compassion for his fellow human beings. He not only fought his own disease but also set up a foundation for other cancer patients to give them the encouragement and care they would need to come out of their pain.