Decision Making Based on Values Is Very Easy and Simple

There is a term called Red Terror. The Bolsheviks of Russia, under Lenin and other leaders, took over power in Russia in 1917. For the next five years, there was intense political repression. Many political opponents were put to death. Some estimates say that more than a million people suffered. Every year, about 28,000 people were executed.

During this time, Mahatma Gandhi’s popularity as a national leader in India was rising rapidly. The Bolsheviks wanted to bring Gandhiji to their side to help spread Marxist ideology in India.

When a person becomes an influencer, he becomes influential. And when that happens, there are always forces waiting to hijack his popularity and use it for their agenda — just like companies acquire successful brands. It’s easier to buy out an established name than to build one from scratch. Gandhiji was a good brand. Acquire him.

But Gandhiji’s response was crystal clear.

Every person of value will face such temptations — offers of shortcuts, promises of power, chances to ride a bigger wave. But see Gandhiji’s clarity: anything that involves violence or denies the presence of God — no matter how promising it looks — repels him.

This is what happens when your decisions are rooted in values. That’s what we must instil in children from a young age — a few clear values, even just two or three, that serve as their decision-making compass.

Take honesty, for example.

Imagine a child grows up to be a finance professional earning a package of 25 lakhs per year. One day, he gets a tempting offer — 2.5 crores and a high-profile job at a financial institution that launders black money overseas. A person without a strong inner value system will weigh the risk: Will I get caught? What’s the loophole? Can I manage this discreetly?

Worse, he may not think at all — just jump at the opportunity, dazzled by the package.

But a person who has internalized honesty as a core value will not even entertain the offer. For him, it’s a straight no. No matter how lucrative it sounds, the answer is clear.

In the same way, aligning with the Bolsheviks could have given Gandhiji major political mileage. But he asked just two questions:
Are they violent or non-violent?
Do they believe in God?

That was it.

Decision-making becomes easy when it's based on values — not on gain and loss.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi