Quotes from Nelson Mandela

When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.

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 good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.

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.

As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

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.

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 am the captain of my soul.

A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but it's lowest ones

Where you stand depends on where you sit.

One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.

Appearances matter — and remember to smile.

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

Courage is not the absence of fear — it s inspiring others to move beyond it.

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.

Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.

You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.