Abbe Pierre Quotes

Somebody has to stand when other people are sitting. Somebody has to speak when other people are quiet.

Right wins only when we dare and act.

For good or ill, I'm a person of leadership. I do my best. I don't dodge responsibility.

You know, the truth is this: it is a leader's job to challenge the status quo. And when you do, you make enemies.

You have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.

If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.

We will not duck the tough issues, we will lead.

At that time, we were in charge. We didn't ask. We just did. We just did what was in our heart.

I choose bold. I choose action. I choose what's right for the people. I choose to make a difference.

If you want to do things – to change things – you must run the risk of not succeeding.

[President] McKinley gave [Lt. Andrew Sommers] Rowan a letter to be delivered to [General Calixto] Garcia: Rowan took the letter and did not ask, "Where is he at?" By the eternal, there is a man whose form should be cast in deathless bronze and the statue placed in every college in the land. It is not book learning that young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust to act promptly, concentrate their energies, do the thing—"carry a message to Garcia.

Our world demands action, not passivity; actors and not mere spectators.

I am no advocate of passivity.

It is not enough to stare up the steps; we must step up the stairs.

It’s time for change. It’s time for someone smart enough to know, strong enough to do, sure enough to lead...

Delegate to others who have strengths where you don't. But sometimes, you just need to be the one to drive the change when everyone else is waiting for someone else to take the first step. To me, that's courage in action.

If you go up on a mountain and scream about change, you better make sure you're ready for people to come.

Courage breeds leadership.

A lot of characters I've played have a certain amount of strength, pride, and leadership.

I've been successful because I've never been someone to shy away from taking responsibility.

You don't have to be a pastor to let your passion be felt and your voice heard. You just need to be willing to be the first one willing to die.

Every story of change there is always someone who didn't have the resources or the network they needed and did something anyway.

So much of starting a business or affecting change is the confidence and courage to simply try.

Remember that this greatness was won by men with courage, with knowledge of their duty, and with a sense of honor in action.

Once the 'what' is decided, the 'how' always follows. We must not make the 'how' an excuse for not facing and accepting the 'what.'