--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never cared very much for personal…" description: "\"I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/nelson-mandela-248_awards_i-have-never-cared-very-much-for-persona_1168055.jpg" --- # I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person… ![“I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/nelson-mandela-248_awards_i-have-never-cared-very-much-for-persona_1168055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/nelson-mandela-248_awards_i-have-never-cared-very-much-for-persona_1168055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/nelson-mandela-248_awards_i-have-never-cared-very-much-for-persona_1168055.jpg) > “I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom fighters pursue ideals, not awards; true motivation is principle. **In simple terms:** Freedom is about principle, not prizes. Key Takeaway Focus on values over recognition. Themes principles freedom motivation Mood inspirational serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - political movements - social justice campaigns - personal advocacy Key Concepts ethical leadership activism Questions to Reflect On - What principles guide your actions? - How do you stay motivated without external rewards? A Different Perspective Recognition can still influence public perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-fighter/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prize/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Winning awards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning-awards/) ## Related quotes > [I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A man does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-never-cared-very-much-for-personal-prizes-a-man-does-not/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I've never been involved in something where people cared about my personal life and the gossip of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-damiano/i-ve-never-been-involved-in-something-where-people-cared-about-my/) [Jennifer Damiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-damiano/) > [I've always cared about my personal style and the way people perceive me. I know a lot of times people don't get the opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/i-ve-always-cared-about-my-personal-style-and-the-way-people-perceive/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [To a freedom fighter hope is what a lifebelt is to a swimmer - a guarantee that one will keep afloat and free from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/to-a-freedom-fighter-hope-is-what-a-lifebelt-is-to-a-swimmer-a/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A freedom fighter learns the hard way that it is the oppressor who defines the nature of the struggle,and the oppressed is often left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-freedom-fighter-learns-the-hard-way-that-it-is-the-oppressor-who/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [In publishing books and winning awards, it's like you've enjoyed this meal, you know, two months ago. How long can you be nourished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/in-publishing-books-and-winning-awards-it-s-like-you-ve-enjoyed-this/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [I think they're an incredible honor. I'm grateful and flattered by them. But I have no control over winning awards - I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-think-they-re-an-incredible-honor-i-m-grateful-and-flattered-by/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I never thought of having platinum albums and winning awards. I just wanted to write songs and sing when I started out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-travis/i-never-thought-of-having-platinum-albums-and-winning-awards-i-just/) [Randy Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-travis/) > [I don't think you can ever get bored of winning awards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-maddison/i-don-t-think-you-can-ever-get-bored-of-winning-awards/) [James Maddison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-maddison/) > [Marketing is not about your agency winning awards. It's about your organization winning business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-meerman-scott/marketing-is-not-about-your-agency-winning-awards-it-s-about-your/) [David Meerman Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-meerman-scott/) > [What we did with Avatar, if you really look at it, we took things that are out there in the world every day, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-letteri/what-we-did-with-avatar-if-you-really-look-at-it-we-took-things-that/) Joe Letteri > [It's always fun to think about winning an award. I thought about winning awards when I was a little girl. Everybody wants to win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-mann/it-s-always-fun-to-think-about-winning-an-award-i-thought-about/) [Leslie Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-mann/) > [On the other hand, winning awards is cool. Aside from the warm fuzzy, it creates publicity, and that helps spread the word about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/on-the-other-hand-winning-awards-is-cool-aside-from-the-warm-fuzzy-it/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [My goals have changed throughout my life. At one time it was winning awards, selling out concert dates, selling more albums than anyone else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/my-goals-have-changed-throughout-my-life-at-one-time-it-was-winning/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Concurrently, while I was in school, while I was winning awards for acting, I was winning awards for singing, in high school. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-davi/concurrently-while-i-was-in-school-while-i-was-winning-awards-for/) [Robert Davi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-davi/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Award quotes > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I love my role in 'Deshamuduru' but I did not get any award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali/i-love-my-role-in-deshamuduru-but-i-did-not-get-any-award/) [Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [Some of my contemporaries don't want to talk about the female problem because they feel like whenever they get a teaching position or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/du-yun/some-of-my-contemporaries-don-t-want-to-talk-about-the-female-problem/) [Du Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/du-yun/) > [I'm not a great believer in awards-of course the fact that I've never won one has nothing to do with it at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-m-not-a-great-believer-in-awards-of-course-the-fact-that-i-ve-never/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [Any award the NBA gives you, whether it's on the court or off the court, it's definitely an honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/any-award-the-nba-gives-you-whether-it-s-on-the-court-or-off-the/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [I look to a time when brotherhood needs no publicity; to a time when a brotherhood award would be as ridiculous as an award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-mich/i-look-to-a-time-when-brotherhood-needs-no-publicity-to-a-time-when-a/) Daniel D. Mich > [I am not after any award. Love and affection of the audience is the biggest award for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukesh-tiwari/i-am-not-after-any-award-love-and-affection-of-the-audience-is-the/) [Mukesh Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukesh-tiwari/) > [I don't like the energy at award shows. It's rehearsed and everybody is just focused on themselves and nobody wants to genuinely applaud for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaani-kapoor/i-don-t-like-the-energy-at-award-shows-it-s-rehearsed-and-everybody/) [Vaani Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaani-kapoor/) > [You don't want to make awards the reason you're doing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/you-don-t-want-to-make-awards-the-reason-you-re-doing-things/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [Winning or not winning an award doesn't affect me. I just like to do my work in the best possible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/winning-or-not-winning-an-award-doesn-t-affect-me-i-just-like-to-do/) KK > [I don't feel I have to acknowledge how I'm doing by an award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-acknowledge-how-i-m-doing-by-an-award/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I never thought I would get a National Award. For me, it was huge, and I got complacent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/i-never-thought-i-would-get-a-national-award-for-me-it-was-huge-and-i/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [You don't do a play to compete for an award. This was the argument I always had over the Oscars. I didn't win them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/you-don-t-do-a-play-to-compete-for-an-award-this-was-the-argument-i/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [I was on MTV's 'Real World' at the time when 'Queer Eye' came out. I remember, the first time I won an award, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/i-was-on-mtv-s-real-world-at-the-time-when-queer-eye-came-out-i/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) Browse all 647 Award quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never cared very much for personal prizes. 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