“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”
Marianne Williamson
(54 votes, average: 4.59 out of 5)
Loading ...
[aads]Marianne Williamson[/aads]
Popularity: 71%
Nice quote, and that you for sharing it. I thought you might be interested in knowing where it really came from. It is widely misattributed on the Web and elsewhere to Nelson Mandela’s 1994 inaugural address. A quick search through that very speech on the ANC’s official web site confirms that the quotation isn’t there (URL below).
As it turns out, the author of the quotation is Marianne Williamson, from her 1992 book, “Return to Love” (p. 165).
Just to be extra sure, I wrote to the ANC (info@anc.org.za) asking about this very quote, and their representative Duncan Harford confirmed my suspicions:
— begin include message —
From: “dharford”
To: “J. Finlayson-Fife”
Subject: Re: Our Deepest Fear
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 07:47:57 +0200
Hello John
We are aware that these words have for some years now been attributed to Nelson Mandela on the internet. We do not know how this happened
These words appear neither in the May 9, 1994 inaugural speech
(http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/.....augct.html),
nor the May 10, 1994 inaugural speech
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/.....gpta.html),
nor any of the other speeches, statements and writings by Mr. Mandela
(http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mandela/).
Regards
Duncan
— end included message —
Thanks John… I didn’t know this.
Actually I’m a big Marianne Williamson fan. I’ve seen her speak a few times and just didn’t know it was a quote from her.
Appreciate you taking the time to point out this error.
I’ve corrected the Quote above.
Thanks foir this great quote. It says so much about us.
I thought this has a Nelson Mandela quote as well… Good to know it’s true source…
very inspiring..
our deepest fear is not htat we are inadequate. our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. it is our light not our darkness that most frightens. we ask our selves who am i to be briliant gorgeous talented fabulous? actually who are you not to be. you are a child of god. your playing small does not serve teh world. there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others won’t feel insecure around u. we are all meant to shine as children do. we were born to make manifest the glory of god tht is within us. its not just in some of us, its in everyone. and as we let our own light shime we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
good qoute and inspiring indeed
Maybe our deepest fear in this case is simply being misunderstood or misquoted. I have been inspired by the quote and in some ways it did not matter who uttered it. I thought it was from former President Nelson Mandela. I could imagine him saying it. I even believe he would say it. I had to google to find out where it was from and eventually read all of the pertinent speeches discovering it was Marianne Williamson.
I think it would be wonderful if former President Nelson Mandela could be persuaded to utter these words thus bringing everything full circle.
It reminds me of another fallacy which I have always found fascinating. The Hundredth Monkey phenomenon or hypothesis. I love the idea it represents. However the research it is extrapolated from shows that nothing of the kind happened from which to glean the hundredth monkey idea. Just another new age legend.