Top 975 Quotes & Sayings by Famous Leaders

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.

If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.

Some of the greatest battles will be fought within the silent chambers of your own soul.

Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.

Let your smile change the world! Never let the world change your smile!

Most people are concerned only with what they can get from the world, but it is what we are able to give to others that determines the quality of our life

Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.

Love the giver more than the gift.

We live in a world where finding fault in others seems to be the favorite blood sport. It has long been the basis of political campaign strategy. It is the theme of much television programming across the world. It sells newspapers. Whenever we meet anyone, our first, almost unconscious reaction may be to look for imperfections.

Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.

Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.

Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance.

Everything is perfect and there is always room for improvement.

Death is the solution to all problems. No man - no problem.

When the flower blooms, the bees come uninvited.

The right combination is between a free economy and social policy that addresses the needs of society and creates equal opportunity.

Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.

A people cannot exist if there is no social solidarity.

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.

A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.

The satisfaction derived from the fleeting things of life is not lasting; and our wants remain unfulfilled. There is thus a general sense of dissatisfaction accompanied by all kinds of worries.

Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.

People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election.

Science and technology are a propellant for building a thriving country, and the happiness of the people and the future of the country hinge on their development.

Once you see your nature, sex is basically immaterial.

The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.

I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.

Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.

Let the good in me connect with the good in others, until all the world is transformed through the compelling power of love.

Mental strength is really important because you either win or lose in your mind. And I'm not solely talking about sporting matches, boxing events - anything you do, you do it first with your mental strength. And you can actually train and develop it, and I am responsible for what I'm saying because I have experience with that.

There can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which is within the souls of men.

Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.

The key to success is action, and the essential in action is perseverance.

Colonialism deprives you of your self-esteem and to get it back you have to fight to redress the balance.

We cannot turn the clock back nor can we undo the harm caused, but we have the power to determine the future and to ensure that what happened never happens again.

Unless a nation's life faces peril, war is murder.

It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.

Political development should start at the grassroots.

We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace.

Nations whose nationalism is destroyed are subject to ruin.

The Earth does not belong to us: we belong to the Earth.

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.

Never be haughty to the humble or humble to the haughty.

A constructive approach to diplomacy doesn't mean relinquishing one's rights. It means engaging with one's counterparts, on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect, to address shared concerns and achieve shared objectives.

Without knowledge action is useless and knowledge without action is futile.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender.

It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.

When men talk about defense, they always claim to be protecting women and children, but they never ask the women and children what they think.

If we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence. If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building this society. If we desire a society that is democratic, then democracy must become a means as well as an end.

The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.

It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it.

FIFA stands for discipline, respect, fair-play, not just on the field of play, but in our society as well.

When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.