21 Nelson Mandela Quotes That Will Inspire You To Change The World!

After fighting to make the world a better place for 95 years, Nelson Mandela has passed away. The former South African President did many remarkable things in his time on this Earth, not the least of which was filling us with optimism and inspiring us all to become better humans. The civil rights leader is no longer with us physically, but his wisdom lives eternal. Here are 20 of his most inspirational quotes…

1. “When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace.”

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

3. "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."

4. “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.”

5. “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.”

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

7. “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.”

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

9. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

10. "Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people."

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

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

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

14."Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do."

15."I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended."

16.“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.”

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

18."I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles."

19."A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination."

20."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."

21. "Great anger and violence can never build a nation. We are striving to proceed in a manner and towards a result, which will ensure that all our people, both black and white, emerge as victors.”