Skip to content

The question

What counsel would you give your twenty-year-old self — and what should they ignore?
Lech Wałęsa

President of Poland, 1990–1995; co-founder and chairman of the Solidarity trade union

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here
When I recall my own path of life I cannot but speak of the violence, hatred and lies. A lesson drawn from such experiences, however, was that we can effectively oppose violence only if we ourselves do not resort to it.

Oslo City Hall (lecture read on his behalf by Bogdan Cywiński), The Nobel Foundation, 11 December 1983 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 78 →
Wole Soyinka Playwright, poet and novelist; Nobel laureate in Literature, 1986
I just say, “Follow your instincts.” Don’t feel you have to follow the paths of others, because you may not be temperamentally fitted for it. And so you’ll just harm yourself and your cause and others. But just follow your instinct, and don’t ever pretend to be what you’re not.
Recorded Academy of Achievement interview, 3 July 2009 source ↗
John Lewis U.S. Representative from Georgia, 1987–2020; Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee 1963–1966
You must find a way to get in the way, you must find a way to get into trouble — good trouble, necessary trouble.
Recorded Emory University Quadrangle, Atlanta, Emory News Center, Emory University, 12 May 2014 source ↗
Frank M. Johnson Jr. United States district judge, Middle District of Alabama, 1955–1979; judge of the Eleventh Circuit
Study. Be honest. Don’t violate the laws and get in trouble. Get you a good spouse that will support you, because you never stop working and studying. The fact that you get the place just means you’ve started as far as the work and the pressure is concerned. That’s the only advice I’d know to give.
Recorded Academy of Achievement recorded interview, American Academy of Achievement, 16 March 1991 source ↗
Patti Smith Musician, poet and photographer
Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises. Don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful. Be concerned about doing good work and protect your work. […] Protect your work and if you build a good name, eventually that name will be its own currency.
Recorded Christian Lund, Louisiana Literature festival, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 24 August 2012, Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 24 August 2012 source ↗

More on time & hindsight

Also answered this

Lee Kuan Yew, Edmund Hillary, Frank M. Johnson Jr., Leymah Gbowee, John Lewis, Benazir Bhutto

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

Report this answer