Now let’s discuss a few people who were not so great. Let’s try to understand why so in the context of what we have learnt so far. Adolf Hitler. This man who was responsible for killing millions of Jews across Germany and surrounding Nations in Europe. Hitler had a troubled childhood. His father was never very kind to him. As a result there was always and underline bitterness in the mind of Adolf Hitler which was to manifest itself someday in colossal and grotesque proportions. Adolf Hitler did not meet with success in all his endeavours. Apply for admission to the academy of Fine Arts in Vienna but he was rejected twice. The director suggested that Hitler should apply to the School of Architecture but he lacked the necessary academic credentials because he had not finished Secondary School. Hitler often ran out of money and was forced to live in homeless Shelters. His growing resentment about his own state made him even more rancid. In the country that time there was a growing dissension about Jews. Anti-Semitic feelings were proliferating. The melancholy mind of Adolf Hitler was easily influenced by the wave of collective hatred against the Jews. Hitler immediately took to the sentiment and blamed the Jews for his personal failures. With a firm faith in his belief and with his oratory skills he soon climbed the political ladder making Jews the scapegoats for all problems in in Germany. In a letter Hitler argues that the main aim of the government must undoubtedly be the removal of the Jews altogether. If you look here at the intent we can see what difference it makes. A bad intent leads to the birth of a cruel dictator and the massacre of millions of innocent people. Despite having the abilities and the charisma, Hitler was not able to make the use of it in a positive constructive and a life affirming manner. The results were catastrophic for mankind. Therefore we must remember to develop the right intent. A great intent is always life affirming and positive. We need to love ourselves and not blame our family, our society, our city, our country on the world for any of our problems. We should take complete responsibility and accountability for the way we are and for the choices that we make. Adolf Hitler is a quintessential example of how great human potential can work against humanity. Even nuclear power which has a lot of constructive uses can be misused by the people with wrong intent.

Charles Bronson– In 2014 Britain’s most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson smeared himself in butter and then took on 12 able-bodied prison guards to make good his escape from full Sutton prison in York. He did not go down so easily. It was quite an effort for the prison guards to take him down and pack him back to his cell. One of the Britain’s most notorious criminals Charles Bronson is also a fitness fanatic. His extreme regimen has made him a man of superhuman strength. He can do 172 push ups in 60 Seconds, pick up a pool table all by himself, bend a steel prison door with his bare hands, he holds the prison record for the maximum push ups in an hour- a staggering 1727! What is more remarkable is that this man has been for more years in prison than out of it. His fitness routine is practiced in a small solitary cell without access to gym equipment. Charles Bronson has made his body his equipment.

In his book solitary fitness, Bronson says- “buy my book and I will show you how to burn up ugly love handles, firm your abs, make your arms huge and Powerful, build stamina and help change your life forever. All of this without fancy gym equipment, steroids, pills or powders. I ask you- did Samson do drugs, did Hercules need any fancy trainers? You are never going to run any faster with those $300 trainers. Nobody wants to die. Why kill yourself off? Stop and think, get fit and strong!

Even a good shag will burn the calories off and pump your heart! There is no excuse – you know it!”

A man with such great abilities, do you see where he could have gone with the right intent. With the right attitude and the right approach he would have gone places and not languished from one jail to another.

We have seen example of not so great people. People with great abilities and great Charisma, they have gone south because of the lack of great intent. Just as we learn what to do we have to learn what not to do and these examples teach us exactly that. Let us all promise ourselves that come what may we will always things with a great intent.

Change in intent can work wonders. Let me tell you about Frank Abagnale junior. He was a Con Man, check-forger, impostor who assumed no fewer than 8 different identities and escape from police custody twice. He is today a consultant and lecturer for the FBI academy and field offices. He also runs Abagnale and Associates, a financial fraud consultancy company. His life has inspired the Academy Award nominated film “Catch me if you can” Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks as the FBI agent pursuing him. This is what happens when your intent changes from not so great to great. Life and universe both give you a second Chance at greatness.

Beginning with the next chapter we are going to see each of the great pillars in detail. Great health, great wealth and great wisdom are the three pillars which we must understand. We must be hungry for great health, great wealth and great wisdom. All the three spheres are connected and go a long way towards achieving greatness and becoming the great self or Mahatman.