People often blame circumstances for their adversity. Little time, not enough money, financial crisis — this is how they justify their failures, inaction and lack of initiative.

However, there are examples in life that prove that a person can succeed even in the most severe conditions. One such example is the story of Ashok Khade.

Stepping out of darkness into light

At first glance, Ashok had no chance of living a decent life. He came from a very poor family with many children, which belonged to the Dalits — the lowest class of Indian society. Ashok’s father was a shoemaker, and his mother was a hired farm worker. The family was constantly discriminated against by others, and money was constantly lacking — oftentimes there was not enough money for food.

Ashok understood that only education would help him get out of poverty and achieve something in life. The boy strove for knowledge and looked for any opportunity to acquire it. When he learned that a charitable organization had opened a public school in a nearby village, he went to study there.

At school, students from more affluent families despised the lower-caste Indian. For Ashok, a special fence was erected in the class to separate him from the rest of the children. Despite all the hardship, the boy studied diligently. His studiousness impressed the teachers. They gave Ashok the necessary textbooks, which he could not afford to buy. So, thanks to decisiveness and perseverance, the boy embarked on a path that would lead him to a resounding success in the future.

Reaching the new level

After graduating from school with honors, Ashok went to Mumbai, where his father and older brother had already moved to by that time. He got a job at the port and within a short time mastered several professions, including shipbuilding technology.

The promising employee was noticed by the representatives of the joint Indian-German project. Ashok was sent to Germany, where he took part in the creation of a submarine. There, the Indian specialist received a salary that was many times higher than that which he earned at home. Ashok diligently saved the money he earned. To save funds, he lived in the port and slept in shipping containers. The man returned to India with rich experience and solid savings.

Rising to the pinnacle of success

In 1992, together with his brothers, Ashok founded “DAS Offshore Engineering” using the money saved. Over time, it became the leading oil loading and manufacturing infrastructure engineering company in India.

Today Ashok Khade is a multimillionaire. The years of misery and struggle for survival are behind him, and now he is actively helping the poor and outcast compatriots. His company recruits Dalits, the caste to which Ashok himself belongs. In his native village, the businessman built a school, a hospital and an engineering college.

Managing your life

Ashok Khade began his ascent to success with nothing but perseverance and faith in himself. As a result, he succeeded! So, is it worth complaining about the circumstances? Instead, it is better to progressively move towards your goal even by taking small steps.

If you don’t know where to start, use the Success Framework Workbook tool. It will help you assess your strengths and weaknesses, compensate for the lack of any resource and choose the most appropriate strategy to realize your plan.

Thanks to the Workbook, you will understand that you have opportunities for professional and personal growth as well as generating new ideas and making effective decisions no matter the circumstances.

Be courageous.

Be decisive.

Be the master of your life!

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