Nelson Mandela was a renowned South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist.
Throughout his life, he made numerous inspirational speeches and left behind a legacy of wise words that continue to inspire people around the world.
The following are some of the characteristics that can be associated with Nelson Mandela’s quotes:
- Inspiring: Nelson Mandela’s quotes are known for their ability to inspire people to do better and be better. He was a man of great courage and determination who believed in the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity.
- Humility: Despite his many accomplishments, Nelson Mandela remained humble throughout his life. His quotes often emphasize the importance of humility and the need to put the needs of others before our own.
- Perseverance: Nelson Mandela was a man who never gave up, even in the face of great adversity. His quotes often speak to the importance of perseverance and the need to keep pushing forward, no matter what challenges may arise.
- Forgiveness: Nelson Mandela was a strong advocate for forgiveness and reconciliation, even in the face of great injustice. His quotes often emphasize the need to let go of anger and resentment in order to move forward and create a better world.
- Unity: Nelson Mandela believed strongly in the power of unity and collaboration. His quotes often speak to the importance of working together to achieve common goals and to overcome the barriers that divide us.
Overall, Nelson Mandela’s quotes are characterized by a deep sense of wisdom, compassion, and resilience.
They continue to inspire people around the world to work towards a more just and equitable society, and to strive towards a better future for all.
Nelson Mandela Quotes
Here are some quotes by Nelson Mandela:
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.”
- “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
- “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
- “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”
- “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
- “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
- “We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”
- “The first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.”
- “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles.”
- “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
- “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.”
- “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
- “I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
- “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.
- “I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of what I thought, because of my conscience.”
- “I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.”
- “The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
- “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
- “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
- “If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- “I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
- “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
- “I am the captain of my soul.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- “I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
- “We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”
- “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
- “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”
- “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”
- “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”
- “I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.”
- “I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days.”
- “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
- “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”
- “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”
- “A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don’t have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed.”
- “Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.”
- “A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
- “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
- “When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
- “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
- “I am the captain of my soul.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “No one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails.”
- “There is nothing I fear more than waking up without a program that will help me bring a little happiness to those with no resources, those who are poor, illiterate, and ridden with terminal disease.”
- “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”
- “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”
- “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
- “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”
- “I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.”
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
- “I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days.”
- “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
- “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
- “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
- “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
- “We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”
- “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”
- “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
- “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”
- “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
- “No one can take away your self-respect unless you allow them to.”
- “I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.”
- “Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.”
- “I have retired, but if there’s anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.”
- “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- “There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.”
- “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”
Famous Nelson Mandela Quotes
Famous Nelson Mandela Quotes:
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
- “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
- “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”
- “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- “I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
- “I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days.”
- “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.”
- “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
- “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
- “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”
- “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
- “Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.”
- “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”
- “I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.”
- “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
- “Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.”
Inspirational Nelson Mandela Quotes
Here are some inspirational quotes by Nelson Mandela:
- “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
- “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.”
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
- “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
- “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
- “I never lose. I either win or learn.”
- “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”
- “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”
- “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
- “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”
- “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
- “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”
- “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.”
- “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
- “I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colors. I rejoice with the brilliant ones and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns.”
- “I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.”
- “Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.”
- “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
- “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
- “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
- “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
- “One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.”
- “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.”
- “I have retired, but if there’s anything that would kill me, it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.”
- “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
- “I am not an optimist, but a great believer of hope.”
Conclusion – Nelson Mandela Quotes
Nelson Mandela was a remarkable human being who dedicated his life to the struggle against apartheid and the fight for equality and justice for all.
His quotes reflect his wisdom, his compassion, and his unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom, democracy, and human rights.
His words continue to inspire people all around the world to work towards a better future and to strive for a society that is more just, more equitable, and more compassionate.
Nelson Mandela’s legacy lives on through his words, his actions, and the countless lives he touched and changed during his lifetime.
