Nelson Mandela
Monday, 10 June 2013
Our greatest fear
Leave bitterness and hatred behind
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela
Live in a way that enhances the freedom of others
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela
Glory in rising
“The greatest glory in living
lies not in never falling,
but in rising every time we fall.”
― Nelson Mandela
My long walk is not ended
“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 come
responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
― Nelson Mandela
Love comes more naturally to the human heart
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Education is a powerful weapon
“Education is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world.”
― Nelson Mandela
Courage is not the absence of fear
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela
Keep your head pointed toward the sun
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Let your own light shine
“ As we let our own light shine, we
unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”
― Nelson Mandela
Overcoming poverty is an act of justice
“Overcoming poverty is not a task of
charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not
natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of
human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that
great generation. Let your greatness blossom.”
― Nelson Mandela
Prison before presidency
“In my country we go to prison first and
then become President. ”
― Nelson Mandela
Acts of mercy
“You will achieve more in this world
through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.”
― Nelson Mandela
Be great
“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be
great, you can be that generation”
― Nelson Mandela
Who are you not to be great?
“Your playing small does not serve the
world. Who are you not to be great?”
― Nelson Mandela
I could not do otherwise
“I had no epiphany, no singular revelation,
no moment of truth, but a steady accumulation of a thousand slights, a thousand
indignities and a thousand unremembered moments produced in me an anger, a
rebelliousness, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people. There
was no particular day on which I said, henceforth I will devote myself to the
liberation of my people; instead, I simply found myself doing so, and could not
do otherwise.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Dedicated to the struggle of the African people
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself
to this struggle of the African people. 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.”
― Nelson Mandela
No passion to be found playing small
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela
I am not a saint
“I am not a saint, unless you think of a
saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
― Nelson Mandela
Lead from the back
“Lead from the back — and let others
believe they are in front.”
― Nelson Mandela
Resentment is like drinking poison
“Resentment is like drinking poison and
then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
― Nelson Mandela
A good head and good heart are a formidable combination
“A good head and good heart are always a
formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then
you have something very special.”
― Nelson Mandela
No choice but to become an outlaw
“When a man is denied the right to live the
life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
― Nelson Mandela
No easy walk to freedom
“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”
― Nelson Mandela
Use time creatively
“We must use time creatively, and forever
realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”
― Nelson Mandela
Don't turn off the heat
“When the water starts boiling it is
foolish to turn off the heat.”
― Nelson Mandela
Be prepared
“One cannot be prepared for something while
secretly believing it will not happen.”
― Nelson Mandela
Many more hills to climb
“After climbing a great hill, one only
finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
― Nelson Mandela
Talk to a man in his language
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela
No one knows a nation until one has been inside its jails
“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.”
― Nelson Mandela
Until I changed myself, I could not change others
“One of the things I learned when I was
negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.”
― Nelson Mandela
Do not judge me by my successes
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me
by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
― Nelson Mandela
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