Nelson Mandela turns 95 years: 8 Inspirational Quotes on Leadership, Courage and Success

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid trailblazer and former President of South Africa, turned 95 on Thursday. Crowds of supporters gathered to celebrate the milestone outside the Pretoria hospital where Mandela is being treated for a recurring lung infection. The ailing leader has been near-death for weeks, though his health has improved this week, and he remains in critical but stable condition.
Mandela is considered one of the world's greatest leaders. After 27 years of imprisonment under South Africa's apartheid government, Mandela became the country's first black president in its first multi-racial elections in 1994. He championed peace, forgiveness and racial unity. He served a five-year term through 1999 and then devoted himself to charity work.

On Courage

'' The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid but he who conquers that fear.''

On Resilience

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

On Leadership

''A real leader uses every issue, no matter how serious and sensitive, to ensure that at the end of the debate we should emerge stronger and more united than ever before.''

On Growth

''It is so easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build.''

On Success

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

On Character

'' Those who conduct themselves with morality, integrity and consistency need not fear the forces of inhumanity and cruelty.''

On Legacy Building

''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.''

On Communication

'' It is never my custom to use words lightly. If 27 years in prison have done anything to us, it was to use the silence of solitude to make us understand how precious words are and how real speech is in its impact on the way people live and die.''

* Credit goes to Jenna Goudreau for the original post.