200 Nelson Mandela Quotes On Freedom, Love, Leadership & Injustice

Here we have compiled a list of the best 200 inspirational quotes and sayings about success, startups, music, freedom, and change by Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela (birth name: Rolihlahla Mandela) is a source of motivation for civil rights activists worldwide. His efforts for human rights and against racism are priceless. Mandela was a social rights activist, politician, philanthropist and became the first Black president of South Africa (1994 to 1999).

He was elected after spent 27 years in prison for political offenses and his involvement in anti-apartheid work. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his efforts against racist policies. It was great fun for us to collect all these fascinating quotations by Nelson Mandela, and we hope you’ll also enjoy reading.

Nelson Mandela Best Quotes

So, let’s begin exploring these 200 motivational sayings of a famous historical activist hero.

“I am the captain of my soul.” — Nelson Mandela
“Nothing is black or white.” — Nelson Mandela
“One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.” — Nelson Mandela
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” — Nelson Mandela
“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” — Nelson Mandela
“Fools multiply when wise men are silent.” — Nelson Mandela
“Quitting is leading too.” — Nelson Mandela
“Appearances matter – and remember to smile.” — Nelson Mandela
“People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.” — Nelson Mandela
“Where you stand depends on where you sit.” — Nelson Mandela
“Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.” — Nelson Mandela
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” — Nelson Mandela
“Safety and security don’t just happen; they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.” — Nelson Mandela
“Love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” — Nelson Mandela
“The wounds that cannot be seen are more painful than those that can be treated by a doctor.” — Nelson Mandela
“Hating clouds, the mind. It gets in the way of strategy. Leaders cannot afford to hate.” — Nelson Mandela
“Although I am a gregarious person, I love solitude even more.” — Nelson Mandela
“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice.” — Nelson Mandela
“Hating clouds, the mind. It gets in the way of strategy. Leaders cannot afford to hate.” — Nelson Mandela
“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated. Any nation that is progressive is led by people who have had the privilege of studying.” — Nelson Mandela
“Only armchair politicians are immune from committing mistakes. Errors are inherent in political action.” — Nelson Mandela
“Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort, and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.” — Nelson Mandela
“The message of reconciliation, of nation-building, of granting amnesty, indemnity, has struck a powerful, favorable chord. And people can understand that we’re here not for purposes of retribution but to forget the past and to build our country.” — Nelson Mandela
“We slaughter one another in our words and attitudes. We slaughter one another in the stereotypes and mistrust that linger in our heads, and the words of hate we spew from our lips.” — Nelson Mandela
“I learned to have the patience to listen when people put forward their views, even if I think those views are wrong. You can’t reach a just decision in a dispute unless you listen to both sides.” — Nelson Mandela
“When the water starts boiling, it is foolish to turn off the heat.” — Nelson Mandela
“Nonviolence is a good policy when the conditions permit.” — Nelson Mandela
“An organization can only carry out its mandate if there is discipline, and where there is no discipline, there can be no real progress.” — Nelson Mandela
“The very right to be human is denied every day to hundreds of millions of people as a result of poverty, the unavailability of basic necessities such as food, jobs, water and shelter, education, health care, and a healthy environment.” — Nelson Mandela
“The United States of America is a threat to world peace.” — Nelson Mandela
“My son has died of AIDS.” — Nelson Mandela
“We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.” — Nelson Mandela
“A free press is one of the pillars of democracy.” — Nelson Mandela
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” — Nelson Mandela
“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.” — Nelson Mandela
“The world is truly round and seems to start and end with those we love.” — Nelson Mandela
“I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses. We must never forget that it is our duty to protect this environment.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is in the character of growth that we should learn from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.” — Nelson Mandela
“Do not allow your anger to control your reason, but rather your reason to control your anger.” — Nelson Mandela
“In the end, reconciliation is a spiritual process, which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people.” — Nelson Mandela
“As long as women are bound by poverty and as long as they are looked down upon, human rights will lack substance.” — Nelson Mandela
“Ethiopia always has a special place in my imagination, and the prospect of visiting Ethiopia attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England, and America combined. I felt I would be visiting my own genesis, unearthing the roots of what made me an African.” — Nelson Mandela
“Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” — Nelson Mandela
“Keep your friends close – and your rivals even closer.” — Nelson Mandela
“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.” — Nelson Mandela
“To be the father of a nation is a great honor, but to be the father of a family is a greater joy.” — Nelson Mandela
Prison itself is a tremendous education in the need for patience and perseverance. It is above all a test of one’s commitment.” — Nelson Mandela
“The day I am afraid to do, that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education.” — Nelson Mandela
“My greatest regret in life is that I never became the heavyweight boxing champion of the world.” — Nelson Mandela
“As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.” — Nelson Mandela
“True reconciliation does not consist in merely forgetting the past.” — Nelson Mandela
“Those who conduct themselves with morality, integrity, and consistency need not fear the forces of inhumanity and cruelty.” — Nelson Mandela
“Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair.” — Nelson Mandela
“There are few misfortunes in this world that you cannot turn into a personal triumph if you have the iron will and the necessary skill.” — Nelson Mandela
“Let your greatness bloom.” — Nelson Mandela
“Take it upon yourself where you live to make people around you joyful and full of hope.” — Nelson Mandela
“Our economic approach to food and its distribution reflects our basic moral values.” — Nelson Mandela
“No problem is so deep that it cannot be overcome, given the will of all parties, through discussion and negotiation rather than force and violence.” — Nelson Mandela
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela
“A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” — Nelson Mandela
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” — Nelson Mandela
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela
“Courage is not the absence of fear – it’s inspiring others to move beyond it.” — Nelson Mandela
“Forget the past.” — Nelson Mandela
“The brave man is not the one who has no fears; he is the one who triumphs over his fears.” — Nelson Mandela
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Nelson Mandela
“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
“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” — Nelson Mandela
“You encourage people by seeing the good in them.” — Nelson Mandela
“Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.” — Nelson Mandela
“Your playing small does not serve the world. Who are you not to be great?” — Nelson Mandela
“Peace is the greatest weapon for development that any person can have.” — Nelson Mandela
“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
“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
“I am not a saint unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” — Nelson Mandela
“Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose.” — Nelson Mandela
“Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.” — Nelson Mandela
“The more informed you are, the less arrogant and aggressive you are.” — Nelson Mandela
“Times change; we need to change as well.” — Nelson Mandela
“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
“There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.” — Nelson Mandela
“Know your enemy – and learn about his favorite sport.” — Nelson Mandela
“There is no future without forgiveness.” — Nelson Mandela
“There is a constant struggle between good and evil in the world. It is up to good people to choose the right side.” — Nelson Mandela
“Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water, and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind, and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.” — Nelson Mandela
“No power on this earth can destroy the thirst for human dignity.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is not the kings and generals that make history, but the masses of the people.” — Nelson Mandela
“Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.” — Nelson Mandela
“Other people have qualities that may be better than your own. Let them express them.” — Nelson Mandela
“Our differences are our strength as a species and as a world community.” — Nelson Mandela
“We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” — Nelson Mandela
“If you want the cooperation of humans around you, you must make them feel they are important – and you do that by being genuine and humble.” — Nelson Mandela
“Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.” — Nelson Mandela
“Our fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.” — Nelson Mandela
“In order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.” — Nelson Mandela
“Lead from the front – but don’t leave your base behind.” — Nelson Mandela
“Education has become a very powerful weapon in the struggle to produce a well-developed person.” — Nelson Mandela
“No matter what the past has dealt you, don’t let it destroy your future.” — Nelson Mandela
“Honor belongs to those who never forsake the truth even when things seem dark and grim, who try over and over again, who are never discouraged by insults, humiliation and even defeat.”— Nelson Mandela
“You mustn’t compromise your principles, but you mustn’t humiliate the opposition. No one is more dangerous than one who is humiliated.” — Nelson Mandela
“If our expectations, if our fondest prayers and dreams are not realized, then we should all bear in mind that the greatest glory of living lies not in never falling but in rising every time you fall.” — Nelson Mandela
“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.” — Nelson Mandela
“Those who can’t imagine change reveal the deficits of their imaginations, not the difficulty of change.” — Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Quotes About Success

“Lead from the back – and let others believe they are in front.” — Nelson Mandela
“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” — Nelson Mandela
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” — Nelson Mandela
“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.”— Nelson Mandela
“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
“Once a person is determined to help themselves, there is nothing that can stop them.” — Nelson Mandela
“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.” — Nelson Mandela
“Education is the great engine to personal development.” — Nelson Mandela
“In Africa, there is a concept known as ‘ubuntu’ – the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.” — Nelson Mandela
“Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.” — Nelson Mandela
“A bright future beckons. The onus is on us, through hard work, honesty, and integrity, to reach for the stars.” — Nelson Mandela
“I want to sleep for eternity with a broad smile on my face. I want those who remain behind to say this man has done his duty.” — Nelson Mandela
“Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.” — Nelson Mandela
“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.” — Nelson Mandela
“Be a lifelong student, read as many books as possible.” — Nelson Mandela
“None of us, acting alone, can achieve the success.” — Nelson Mandela
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face of criticism.” — Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Quotes About Startup

“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” — Nelson Mandela
“A society that does not value its older people denies its roots and endangers its future. Let us strive to enhance their capacity to support themselves for as long as possible and, when they cannot do so anymore, to care for them.” — Nelson Mandela
“By ancestry, I was born to rule.” — Nelson Mandela
“It never hurts to think too highly of a person; often they become ennobled and act better because of it.” — Nelson Mandela
“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.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” — Nelson Mandela
“Few things make the life of a parent more rewarding and sweeter as successful children.” — Nelson Mandela
“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.” — Nelson Mandela
“Disasters will always come and go, leaving their victims either completely broken or steeled and seasoned and better able to face the next crop of challenges that may occur.” — Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Quotes About Freedom & Change

“Freedom is indivisible; the chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.” — Nelson Mandela
“One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.” — Nelson Mandela
“The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us.” — Nelson Mandela
“If you want to change the world, help the women.” — Nelson Mandela
“The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.” — Nelson Mandela
“To deny people their human rights are to challenge their very humanity.” — 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.” — Nelson Mandela
“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
“When I walked out of the gate, I knew that if I continued to hate these people, I was still in prison.” — Nelson Mandela
“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
“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not.” — Nelson Mandela
“With freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk has not ended yet.” — Nelson Mandela
“The Commonwealth makes the world safe for diversity.” — Nelson Mandela
“Each of us, as citizens, has a role to play in creating a better world for our children.” — Nelson Mandela
“Racism is a blight on the human conscience.” — Nelson Mandela
“Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did.” — Nelson Mandela
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” — Nelson Mandela
“To deny people of their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. To impose on them a wretched life of hunger and deprivation is to dehumanize them. But such has been the terrible fate of all black persons in our country under the system of apartheid.” — Nelson Mandela
“You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.” — Nelson Mandela
“Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation.” — Nelson Mandela
“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course, the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up.” — Nelson Mandela
“When we read, we are able to travel to many places, meet many people and understand the world.” — Nelson Mandela
“Che Guevara’s life is an inspiration for every human being who loves freedom. We will always honor his memory.” — Nelson Mandela
“Teach the children that Africans are not one iota inferior to Europeans.” — Nelson Mandela
“Negotiation and discussion are the greatest weapons we have for promoting peace and development.” — Nelson Mandela
“Young people are capable, when aroused, of bringing down the towers of oppression and raising the banners of freedom.” — Nelson Mandela
“Today, we are a nation at peace with itself, united in our diversity, not only proclaiming but living out the contention that South Africa belongs to all who live in it. We take our place amongst the nations of the world, confident and proud in being an African country.” — Nelson Mandela
“In my country, we go to prison first and then become President.” — Nelson Mandela
“We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.” — Nelson Mandela
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” — Nelson Mandela
“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
“We owe our children – the most vulnerable citizens in any society – a life free from violence and fear.” — Nelson Mandela
“You can start changing our world for the better daily, no matter how small the action.” — Nelson Mandela
“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. 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.” — Nelson Mandela
“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great; you can be that generation.” — Nelson Mandela
“Only through hardship, sacrifice, and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days.” — Nelson Mandela
“You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.” — Nelson Mandela
“When we can sit in the face of insanity or dislikes and be free from the need to make it different, then we are free.”— Nelson Mandela
“History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.” — Nelson Mandela
“There is no such thing as part freedom.” — Nelson Mandela
“We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.” — Nelson Mandela
“We should never forget those on whose shoulders we stand and those who paid the supreme price for freedom.” — Nelson Mandela
“Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom.” — Nelson Mandela
“My dream would be a multicultural society, one that is diverse and where every man, woman, and child are treated equally. I dream of a world where all people of all races work together in harmony.” — Nelson Mandela
“Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomachs if they can have no shelter if illiteracy and disease continue to dog them.” — Nelson Mandela
“There is nobody more dangerous than one who has been humiliated, even when you humiliate him rightly.” — Nelson Mandela
“You see, when there is danger, a good leader takes the front line. But when there is celebration, a good leader stays in the back room. If you want the cooperation of human beings around you, make them feel that they are important. And you do that by being humble.” — Nelson Mandela
“I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.” — Nelson Mandela
“When those in power deny you of freedom, the only path to freedom is power.” — Nelson Mandela
“Where people of goodwill get together and transcend their differences for the common good, peaceful and just solutions can be found even for those problems which seem most intractable.” — Nelson Mandela
“We speak here of the challenge of the dichotomies of war and peace, violence and nonviolence, racism and human dignity, oppression and repression, and liberty and human rights, poverty and freedom from want.” — Nelson Mandela
“Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.” — Nelson Mandela
“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere.” — Nelson Mandela
“Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.” — Nelson Mandela
“A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” — Nelson Mandela
“The truth is we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free.” — Nelson Mandela
“Freedom would be meaningless without security in the home and in the streets.” — Nelson Mandela
“I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.” — Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Quotes About Music

“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs.” — Nelson Mandela
“It is music and dancing that make me at peace with the world.” — Nelson Mandela
“Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice. Such is the value of music.” — Nelson Mandela
“Artists reach areas far beyond the reach of politicians. Art, especially entertainment and music, is understood by everybody, and it lifts the spirits and the morale of those who hear it.” — Nelson Mandela
“Politics can be strengthened by music, but music has a potency that defies politics.” — Nelson Mandela
“The curious beauty about African music is that it uplifts even as it tells a sad story.” — Nelson Mandela
“The curious beauty of African music is that it uplifts even as it tells a sad tale. You may be poor, you may have only a ramshackle house, you may have lost your job, but that song gives you hope.” — Nelson Mandela

What were Nelson Mandela’s last words?

On 20 April 1964, from the dock of the defendant at the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela gave a three-hour speed that includes in the world’s greatest speeches. It was given the name of “I Am Prepared to Die” and considered his last words.

“I have dedicated my life 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 will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realized. But, My Lord, if it needs to be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

What did Nelson Mandela say about bitterness?

Mandela’s most noticeable quote about bitterness is, “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.”

What did Nelson Mandela say about revenge?

Nelson Mandela believed in peaceful settlements and was against taking revenge and hatred talks. He often expressed his positive thoughts, and one of his famous quotes against revenge is:

“We were expected to destroy one another and ourselves collectively in the worst racial conflagration. Instead, we as a people chose the path of negotiation, compromise, and peaceful settlement. Instead of hatred and revenge, we chose reconciliation and nation-building.”