11 Life Lessons From Nelson Mandela

‘You empower yourself and then you reach out to others.’ Uplifting life lessons from one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known, through the eyes of the grandson whose life Mandela changed forever. In his book Going to the Mountain, Ndaba Mandela shares the story of his coming-of-age alongside South Africa’s rebirth. It is a remarkable journey that took him from the segregated Soweto ghettos to his grandfather’s presidential home. As a young boy, Ndaba was frequently moved from place to place, but at eleven he was unexpectedly invited to live with Nelson Mandela, despite having met him only once before. They built a relationship that profoundly affected both of them. Ndaba's teenage years were complicated, but as he approached twenty-one, Mandela decided that Ndaba was ready to ‘go to the mountain’—a test of courage to become a man. After this journey, Mandela and the elders gathered, and Ndaba learned lessons of endurance, forgiveness, resistance, and reconciliation from Nelson Mandela. As Mandela aged, Ndaba demonstrated his understanding of these lessons, showing how one person can impact another profoundly. Going to the Mountain is a powerful reminder of the transformative power within us to change ourselves and our world.