Nelson Mandela: From Angry Freedom Fighter to Optimistic Statesman

This is the second in a series on optimism.

“The young man who went into prison was hot-headed, tempestuous, self-involved, not anything like the Nelson Mandela who emerged. Prison burned all of those excesses away.” That’s what Rick Stengel, former editor of Time magazine, said about Mandela. “Prison made the Nelson Mandela we know today. I asked him how prison had changed him; he said, ‘I came out mature.’”

    Mandela spent 27 years in prison, often laboring in the sweltering sun that damaged his eyesight. He’d been a militant who thought brute force was the only way to end the vicious system of apartheid. How did Mandela evolve from a vengeful, defiant prisoner who scorned his jailers, into a thoughtful man who befriended his jailers, developed the negotiating skills of a seasoned statesman and convinced the all-white government to hold democratic elections? His story reflects some of the important strategies for attaining optimism in very difficult times.

Mandela had been given a life sentence. With no idea when, if ever, he’d be a free man he reflected on his life and the costs of being an activist: his kids didn’t know him; his wife (with whom he spent precious little time) had to do everything for the family; he had become an angry, bitter man. As he told Oprah Winfrey in 2001, “Before I went to jail I was busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. I never had time to sit and think … But in a single cell in prison I had time to reflect. I had a clear view of my past and present, and I found that my past left much to be desired, both in regard to my relations with other humans and in developing personal worth.”

Mandela used his 27 years in prison to reflect on his life, and decided he had to change

He realized he had to let go of his vengefulness and decided to embark in what he later called “the most difficult task in life…changing yourself.” Rather than let the brutal experience of his tiny jail cells discourage or embitter him, he found ways to make it meaningful:

• He analyzed the routines of prison life and saw that it was all designed to break the inmates’ spirits. Thus, as he put it, “the challenge is how to survive prison intact, how to conserve and even replenish one’s beliefs.”
• He and his fellow inmates agreed to share any information they had, every bit of knowledge they gained about the prison warders (South African term for prison guards). That way, Mandela said, “We gained strength from each other.”
• He spent time studying law, and urged other inmates to study. He earned a law degree, and used his legal knowledge to help other prisoners with their legal appeals.
• He studied the warders and found ways to connect with some of them – reading newspapers to the illiterate ones, talking about rugby, asking about their families.
• He and his colleagues kept up with current events by grabbing every newspaper that their warders left.
• He maintained a focused attitude;  they would make the best use of their prison time, share information and learn from each other to be better leaders once released.

Nelson Mandela was a unique individual. That said, the approaches he used during his prison years can help all of us be more optimistic:

• Look forward: stop doing things that bring you down
• Reframe: make something meaningful out of the challenge
• Connect with people and activities that give you energy
• Be forgiving of yourself and others; let go of perfectionism
• Focus on what’s at the core of your life
• Remember: Attitude is a choice

Let’s look at each:

Reflect on the things you do that bring you down: look for alternatives. Mandela saw that his militant strategy wasn’t helping his people, and his lifestyle had damaged him and his family. He made a commitment to improve himself and searched for a better strategy to end apartheid.

Reframe: make something meaningful out of the challenge. Rather than let the drudgery of prison life embitter him, he developed numerous ways to make it a positive, learning experience – for himself and his fellow inmates.

Connect with people and activities that give you energy. Mandela’s efforts to learn the law and use his knowledge to help other inmates gave his prison life a sense of meaning and purpose. He was energized by the way “the stronger ones raised up the weaker ones,” as he wrote in his autobiography.

Be forgiving of yourself and others; let go of perfectionism. Before prison he sought radical change and had little use for others who chose a different path. As he matured he discovered more pragmatic strategies. He preached that “Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That’s why it is such a powerful weapon.” And he strongly backed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that allowed those guilty of abuses to request amnesty.

“Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That’s why it is such a powerful weapon.”

Focus on what’s at the core of your life. Mandela was passionate about helping people of color in South Africa gain their freedom and their rights. That was his north star. Then as president he widened that focus and demonstrated his commitment to the rights and dignity of all people. Doing so disappointed his most militant supporters, but saved the country from civil war.

Attitude is a choice. Despite terrible prison conditions, Mandela chose to treat his warders with respect. He maintained his own self-respect and dignity, and soon learned that many of the warders respected his strength and gave him and others extra privileges.

It’s important to note that Mandela didn’t begin his time in prison by wondering how he could be happier and more optimistic. No, he began by asking how he could improve his life and that of the other inmates. As he started changing his behaviors and attitudes, he made progress; first with fellow inmates, then with his warders, then the prison superintendent, and ultimately with South Africa’s leaders. Happiness and optimism followed. It’s a remarkable legacy.