Nelson Mandela’s Notable Quotes: Wisdom From Madiba

nelson-mandela

Nelson Mandela, former South African president has died at the age of 95.

The widely respected leader inspired countless individuals with his life and the words he said.

Here are some of the words of the Nobel Peace Prize winner fondly called Madiba the world will never forget:

1. “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.”

2. “It always seems impossible until it’s
done.”

3. “If I had my time over I would do the same
again. So would any man who dares call
himself a man.”

4. “I like friends who have independent minds
because they tend to make you see problems
from all angles.”

5. “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all
for the freedom of their people.”

6. “A fundamental concern for others in our
individual and community lives would go a
long way in making the world the better place
we so passionately dreamt of.”

7. “Everyone can rise above their
circumstances and achieve success if they
are dedicated to and passionate about what
they do.”

8. “Education is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world.”

9. “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.”

10. “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.”

11. “Resentment is like drinking poison and
then hoping it will kill your enemies.”

12. “Lead from the back — and let others
believe they are in front.”

13. “Do not judge me by my successes, judge
me by how many times I fell down and got
back up again.”

14.”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.”

15. “A good head and a good heart are
always a formidable combination.”

16. “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”.

17. “If you want to make peace with your
enemy, you have to work with your
enemy. Then he becomes your
partner.”

18. “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.”

19. “After climbing a great hill, one only
finds that there are many more hills
to climb.”

20. “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.”

21. “There can be no keener revelation of
a society’s soul than the way in
which it treats its children.”

22. “In my country we go to prison first
and then become President.”

23. “We must use time wisely and
forever realize that the time is
always ripe to do right.”

24. I detest racialism, because I regard
it as a barbaric thing, whether it
comes from a black man or a white
man.

25. “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.”

26. “Money won’t create success, the
freedom to make it will.”

27. “There is nothing like returning to a
place that remains unchanged to
find the ways in which you yourself
have altered.”

28. “Does anybody really think that they
didn’t get what they had because
they didn’t have the talent or the
strength or the endurance or the
commitment?

29. “I dream of an Africa which is in
peace with itself.”

30. “Let freedom reign. The sun never
set on so glorious a human
achievement.”

31. “If there are dreams about a beautiful
South Africa, there are also roads
that lead to their goal. Two of these
roads could be named Goodness
and Forgiveness.”

2 COMMENTS

  1. A LIFE EVERY BODY ASK FOR: (NELSON ROLIHLAHLA) ***Hearing the death of this icon, i stood still for a moment, and all that occupy my thought was his reminisence, he was born a nobody lived his life for others,carried a cross of not only his country but for Africa,he lived a selfless life for the sake of his people, he sowed his life as a seed to his people and did not only reap the fruit of his people nor the fruit of the continent but the world at large, i read articles about him, watched his legacy on tv, read comment about him, but what i couldn’t find was controversies about him,hahahaha “what is good is good and should be embraced because it is good”, MADIBA as fondly called is a good man and was accepted all over the world cause he is a good man”general truth”, and because he is a good man he lived his last days to see the beauty of the seed he sowed and was appreciated for it, He did a single term as President of South Africa and resisted every attempt to make him seek re-election despite the fact that he had spent the most productive part of his life in prison for the same cause.
    A very rare trait in Africa where most of her leaders would rather die or prefer to be disgraced out of office. Mr president GEJ from paris this morning anounce a 3 days of mourning for the icon, ‘MOURNING’ was his mistake we dont mourn great men we celebrate them. This is a life every body wishes,MADIBA was born as no boby but died a greatman and to be buried like a KING. REST IN PEACE MADIBA, GOD BLESS NIGERIA. by Okpara timothy social comentator