We owe our children β the most vulnerable citizens in any society β a life free from violence and fear.
Nelson MandelaRead
Those who can't imagine change reveal the deficits of their imaginations, not the difficulty of change.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The inability to envision change reflects a lack of creativity rather than the challenges associated with change itself.
Nelson Mandela's quote emphasizes that when individuals struggle to conceive of change, it highlights their limitations in imagination. Instead of perceiving change as an inherent obstacle, the quote suggests that the real barrier lies in one's mindset and creativity. By expanding our imagination, we can see change as a possibility rather than a difficulty.
Themes
ChangeImaginationMindsetCreativityGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about innovation and adaptability.
More from Nelson Mandela
All quotes βWhat freedom am I being offered while the organization of the people remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.
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The past is a rich resource on which we can draw in order to make decisions for the future, but it does not dictate our choices. We should look back at the past and select what is good, and leave behind what is bad.
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We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to believe in the goodness of people.
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After one has been in prison, it is the small things that one appreciates: being able to take a walk whenever one wants, going into a shop and buying a newspaper, speaking or choosing to remain silent. The simple act of being able to control one's person.
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I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses.
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