--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nelson Mandela also spoke about how, as a…" description: "\"Nelson Mandela also spoke about how, as a human being, he's made mistakes.\" — Kumi Naidoo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/kumi-naidoo-21702_failure_nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a_2248754.png" --- # Nelson Mandela also spoke about how, as a human being… ![“Nelson Mandela also spoke about how, as a human being, he's made mistakes.” quote by Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/kumi-naidoo-21702_failure_nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a_2248754.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/kumi-naidoo-21702_failure_nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a_2248754.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/kumi-naidoo-21702_failure_nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a_2248754.png) > “Nelson Mandela also spoke about how, as a human being, he's made mistakes.” [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Everyone makes mistakes; acknowledging them is part of human growth and responsibility. **In simple terms:** We all err, but can learn. Key Takeaway Accept errors, strive to improve. Themes humility growth responsibility Mood humble inspirational Type leadership motivational When to use this quote - political activism - personal development - team dynamics - public speaking Key Concepts psychology ethics leadership Questions to Reflect On - What lessons have you learned from past mistakes? - How can leaders model accountability? A Different Perspective Mistakes can be repeated if not addressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Human Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mistakes-327301/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Made a mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made-a-mistake/) [Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mandela/) [Mandela Spoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mandela-spoke-4829277/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nelson/) [Nelson mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nelson-mandela/) [Spoke Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoke-human-5128164/) [Spokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spokes/) ## Related quotes > [“Nelson Mandela spoke the God’s honest truth when he said that holding on to anger is like drinking poison and hoping the other person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-miscavige/nelson-mandela-spoke-the-god-s-honest-truth-when-he-said-that-holding/) [Ron Miscavige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-miscavige/) > [ I think even though he \[Nelson Mandela\] was feted and praised as he was, he always was at pains to say, I'm a human… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/i-think-even-though-he-nelson-mandela-was-feted-and-praised-as-he-was/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [I first met Nelson Mandela when I was in my late 20s, in 1993. I was helping facilitate an African National Congress (ANC) workshop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/i-first-met-nelson-mandela-when-i-was-in-my-late-20s-in-1993-i-was/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [One of the things that I noticed with my own eyes was Nelson Mandela ability to engage with kings and queens and heads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/one-of-the-things-that-i-noticed-with-my-own-eyes-was-nelson-mandela/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Whenever anybody called Nelson Mandela a saint, he would say: "If by saint you mean a sinner who is trying to be better, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/whenever-anybody-called-nelson-mandela-a-saint-he-would-say-if-by/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [ Nelson's Mandela own sense of himself was a very humble reading, \[different\] from how the world read him. And, quite often, you had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-s-mandela-own-sense-of-himself-was-a-very-humble-reading/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Nelson Mandela was just a human being, a person like other people, and everyone relaxed. Within a minute, that sort of thing about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-was-just-a-human-being-a-person-like-other-people-and/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [ \[Nelson\] Mandela was very keen not to be understood as an exceptional person. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-was-very-keen-not-to-be-understood-as-an-exceptional/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Nelson Mandela once said "I can't help it if the ladies take note of me; I'm not going to protest."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-once-said-i-can-t-help-it-if-the-ladies-take-note-of/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [In Durban, where I was born and grew up, and all over Africa, Nelson Mandela was a hero! Now he is a hero to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/in-durban-where-i-was-born-and-grew-up-and-all-over-africa-nelson/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Video screenshot Facts and figures from Nelson Mandela's life, set to the trailer from 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.' "Man's goodness is a flame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/video-screenshot-facts-and-figures-from-nelson-mandela-s-life-set-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a world leader who refused to accept injustice, Nelson Mandela's courage helped change our entire world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salil-shetty/as-a-world-leader-who-refused-to-accept-injustice-nelson-mandela-s/) [Salil Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salil-shetty/) > [“Mandela alikuwa hodari ndiyo maana akapelekwa jela. Alikuwa mvumilivu ndiyo maana akakaa jela kwa miaka ishirini na saba. Alivyotoka akawa kiongozi bora wa Afrika…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mandela-alikuwa-hodari-ndiyo-maana-akapelekwa-jela-alikuwa-mvumilivu/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [Nelson Mandela is a leader Barack Obama should try to emulate... He could start by spending 27 years in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-imus/nelson-mandela-is-a-leader-barack-obama-should-try-to-emulate-he/) [Don Imus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-imus/) > [Even here in America, we felt the cool, refreshing breeze of freedom when Nelson Mandela took the seat of Presidency in his country where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/even-here-in-america-we-felt-the-cool-refreshing-breeze-of-freedom/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## More by Kumi Naidoo > [Investing one cent more in oil, coal and gas is investing in the death of society, and the in the death of our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/investing-one-cent-more-in-oil-coal-and-gas-is-investing-in-the-death/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [In Durban, where I was born and grew up, and all over Africa, Nelson Mandela was a hero! Now he is a hero to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/in-durban-where-i-was-born-and-grew-up-and-all-over-africa-nelson/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [With an agenda dominated by global security and U.N. reform, it appears that the decisions needed to lift millions of people from abject poverty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/with-an-agenda-dominated-by-global-security-and-u-n-reform-it-appears/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [ If not one more cent in new aid money flowed \[to Africa\], we could with more urgency and efficiency and creativity be doing much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/if-not-one-more-cent-in-new-aid-money-flowed-to-africa-we-could-with/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Nelson Mandela once said "I can't help it if the ladies take note of me; I'm not going to protest."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-once-said-i-can-t-help-it-if-the-ladies-take-note-of/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [ \[Nelson\] Mandela was very keen not to be understood as an exceptional person. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-was-very-keen-not-to-be-understood-as-an-exceptional/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [The Social License is fundamentally about accountability to people and not just powerful interests. John Morrison’s book reminds all organizations – governments, business and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/the-social-license-is-fundamentally-about-accountability-to-people/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Nelson Mandela was just a human being, a person like other people, and everyone relaxed. Within a minute, that sort of thing about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-was-just-a-human-being-a-person-like-other-people-and/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [I was 15 years old when I first heard the name Mandela, or Madiba, as he is fondly known in Africa. In apartheid South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/i-was-15-years-old-when-i-first-heard-the-name-mandela-or-madiba-as/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Many people theorize poverty, but so many elements of poverty, individually, for most people who theorize about poverty would be really difficult to even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/many-people-theorize-poverty-but-so-many-elements-of-poverty/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [ Nelson's Mandela own sense of himself was a very humble reading, \[different\] from how the world read him. And, quite often, you had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-s-mandela-own-sense-of-himself-was-a-very-humble-reading/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [There is no definition of terrorism and there is still the reality that one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/there-is-no-definition-of-terrorism-and-there-is-still-the-reality/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Currently, we allow our political and business leaders to get away with murder. Now is the time to change that. We need direct liability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/currently-we-allow-our-political-and-business-leaders-to-get-away/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [Sandy was a climate change warning. Obama must now take the stage and fulfil the promise of hope the world needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/sandy-was-a-climate-change-warning-obama-must-now-take-the-stage-and/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [You know how they say, 'What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?' What happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/you-know-how-they-say-what-happens-in-vegas-stays-in-vegas-what/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) [Explore all 28 Kumi Naidoo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nelson Mandela also spoke about how, as a human being, he's made mistakes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kumi Naidoo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a-human-being-he-s-made/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a-human-being-he-s-made/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/kumi-naidoo-21702_failure_nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a_2248754.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/kumi-naidoo-21702_failure_nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a_2248754.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/kumi-naidoo-21702_failure_nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a_2248754.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nelson Mandela also spoke about how, as a human being, he's made mistakes.” — Kumi Naidoo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kumi Naidoo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nelson Mandela also spoke about how,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a-human-being-he-s-made/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-also-spoke-about-how-as-a-human-being-he-s-made/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```