24/7 Insights
- The greatest quotes come from some of the world’s greatest thinkers.
- Some individuals on this list completely changed the direction of their nations.
- There are also those whose gifts to the world through entertainment and technology will be forever remembered.
- Also: Discover “The Next NVIDIA”
Over the history of the world, we have had the joy of watching some of the most prolific speakers stand up and speak for the masses. Whether it’s scientists, world leaders, or those who fight for freedom, we have been gifted with incredible moments where words not only spoke bigger than action but would be the spark that caused revolutions.
21. Jeff Bezos
The man who changed how people shop on the internet understandably changed the world in many ways for the better.
“If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.”
20. Dr. Seuss
While controversial in his own right, it’s hard to ignore Dr. Seuss’s impact on children’s literature, which revolutionized the entire industry.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
19. Bill Gates
Bill Gates, the individual responsible for the operating system that much of the world uses on computers today, undeniably changed our relationship with technology.
“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”
18. Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer and physicist, established the idea that the Earth moved around the Sun and not the other way around. He is considered the father of modern science.
“I hold the sun to be situated motionless in the center of the revolution of the celestial orbs while the earth rotates on its axis and revolves about the sun.”
17. Henry Ford
Henry Ford was undeniably controversial, but his mark on the automobile and manufacturing worlds cannot be understated.
“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.”
16. Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst will be forever remembered as a British political activist who fought for 40 years to give women the right to vote. She gave this quote during her famous “Freedom or Death” speech.
“I come to ask you to help win this fight. If we win it, this hardest of fights, then, to be sure, in the future it is going to be made easier for women all over the world to win their fight when their time comes.”
15. Amelia Earheart
At a time when flight was only starting to become a reality for many, Amelia Earheart changed what the world thought about flying and how it looked at female pilots.
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
14. Mother Teresa
Helping spark a movement to feed the poor, Mother Teresa lived up to her name as her work spread to over 100 countries, and 4,500 nuns took part in her vision.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
13. Thomas A. Edison
The most notable inventor over the last few hundred years, Thomas A. Edison, laid the groundwork for movies, telephones, and electricity.
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
12. Abraham Lincoln
It isn’t easy to think of where the world might be today had Abraham Lincoln not fought to unite the United States.
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your ears.”
11. Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, changed humanity’s vision of the stars forever.
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
10. Charles Darwin
Famous for developing the theory of evolution by natural selection, Charles Darwin changed how we view the diversity of life on Earth.
“It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one most adaptable to change.”
9. Albert Einstein
One of the world’s most remarkable scientists, Albert Einstein, will be forever remembered for developing the theory of relativity.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
8. Walt Disney
Walt Disney, the man who changed the world of animation and theme parks, will be forever remembered for his mark on the world and some fantastic quotes.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
7. John F. Kennedy
One of America’s greatest speaking Presidents and the man responsible for us going to the Moon, John F. Kennedy, was taken from the world too young, but not before giving us some memorable quotes.
“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
6. Winston Churchill
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke to the House of Commons in June 1940 following the Battle of Dunkirk, which left Britain open to a German invasion.
“We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grouds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender.”
5. Franklin D. Roosevelt
The man who led America through some of its darkest times, including the Great Depression and World War II, will be remembered forever. The same can be said for his most famous quote.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
4. Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs wasn’t a world leader, but his mark on the world cannot be ignored. He is a member of a very small group who help make it possible to read this article online today.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.”
3. Martin Luther King Jr.
Perhaps the most notable civil rights activist in US history, Martin Luther King Jr., left his mark on America by advocating for the rights of people of color.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
2. Nelson Mandela
The former President of South Africa was an anti-apartheid activist, and he was elected in the country’s first democratic election, promising to dismantle apartheid rule.
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
1. Mahatma Gandhi
An anti-colonial nationalist in India, Gandhi led the nonviolent movement to release India from British law. His greatest quote focused on strength coming from willpower, not physical:
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
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