by M.A. Dal Cero

Created on: May 03, 2009

The definition of a great leader can, and often does, vary depending upon individual perspectives. They may be religious leaders, politicians, activists, writers, philosophers, inventors, heroes, or simply, ordinary people. Typically, however, great leaders are those whom we, as human beings, believe have set a high moral standard, and who possess the desire to make the world a better place for all individuals. Their words of wisdom have moved us, inspired us, and prompted us to take action. The following are several quotes from great leaders throughout history. Their statements remain etched in our hearts and minds for the powerful emotions they evoke, and the profound insight they provide.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." - Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream Speech, August 28, 1963, Washington, DC

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." - Mother Teresa

"Be the change that you want to see in the world." - Mohandas Ghandi

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." - Dalai Lama

"He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." - John 8:7

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." - Buddha

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." - Sir Winston Churchill

"Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either." - Albert Einstein

"Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart." - Anne Frank

"I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free." - Rosa Parks

"I want to walk into a room, be it a hospital for the dying or a hospital for the sick children, and feel that I am needed. I want to do, not just to be." - Princess Diana

"A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business." - Henry Ford

"The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to 'touch the face of God'."

"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

"Social justice cannot be attained by violence. Violence kills what it intends to create." - Pope John Paul II

"Sometimes I wonder if we shall ever grow up in our politics and say definite things which mean something, or whether we shall always go on using generalities to which everyone can subscribe, and which mean very little." - Eleanor Roosevelt

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

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