Their Impact Will Never Be Forgotten, So Take Their Life Advice

In February 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom recommended that Steve Jobs, an American businessman best known for being the former CEO of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), be minted on California’s $1 American Innovation Coin. To Newsom, Jobs stood out for his community oriented focus and desire to innovate meaningfully. Newsom shared, “By focusing on who he was innovating for – other people – Jobs was able to use technology to connect people to each other and to the broader world, bringing people onto the same level by providing them with equal access.” Although the final decision on whether Jobs will be minted on the coin, which will be produced in 2026, has yet to be made, it does represent how much of an impact Jobs made on those around him. A closer look into Steve Jobs before his death highlights how incredible the man was. Not only was he incredibly philanthropic, but he revolutionized technology in a way that was never seen before. (These are the 10 best Apple stores on Earth.)

If you’re ever looking to be inspired, hearing directly from world-changers like Steve Jobs — through interviews, stories, and quotes — is a great way to get yourself motivated. These individuals can provide helpful guidance, whether you’re looking to establish yourself more strongly in the business world, build confidence, or simply be a better member of your communities. Here, 24/7 Wall St. identified 22 of the world’s most profound and successful leaders. While we recognize that this can be subjective, each person on this list has changed the world in some way. We collected their quotes from various websites and provided a brief overview of each person’s effects. 

This previously published story was updated in March 2025 to provide a new quote and also highlight the continued impact of individuals on Steve Jobs on their communities, despite Jobs’ death in 2011.

Why We’re Covering This Now

In a world that sometimes seems more unstable than supportive, many people are searching for someone to look up to. The instability in both the employment sector and the stock market have our nation feeling uncertain. In these times, it can be helpful to look at the words and actions of those who traversed these paths before us and came out successfully. Although some people are frustrated by the billionaires who have been associated with the Trump administration, it’s no secret that these billionaires have also gotten as far as they have in their careers and lives based on good business practices and clear thinking. Regardless of whether you hope to gain knowledge about investing, or need one last push to persevere through the hardships, these quotes will get you feeling ready to tackle whatever life is throwing at you.

These 22 people changed the world. Here’s what they said: 

22. Voltaire

Yes, we’re throwing it far back for this one — but it’s worth it. Voltaire was a French philosopher and historian who advocated for freedom of speech and freedom of religion. He inspired movements for civil tolerance and encouraged more revolutionary thinking, empowering people to break out of confines — and encouraging the same freedom of speech that people hold so dear today. In an inspiring reminder that our impact stems beyond just our money, Voltaire said:

• “Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.” 

21. Jeff Bezos

Multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos is known for changing the way people shop on the Internet with the founding of Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). Despite facing numerous challenges in the beginning of his career, Bezos persevered — and his life is all the better for it. His quote is a reminder to think outside of the box and roll with the punches, but also to stay steadfast in pursuit of your goals: 

• “If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.” 

20. Dr. Seuss

It’s hard to ignore Dr. Seuss’s impact on children’s literature, which revolutionized the entire industry. Dr. Seuss made reading fun and accessible for children while also imbuing them with valuable lessons about pursuing their dreams: 

• “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” 

19. Bill Gates

Bill Gates, the individual responsible for the operating system that much of the world uses on computers today, undeniably changed our relationship with technology. In addition to his work with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Gates has participated in philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation has specifically focused on educational initiatives, global health improvements, and poverty. To those navigating the business world who feel like your failures define you, Gates reminds you that these failures are actually helpful: 

• “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” 

18. Galileo Galilei 

Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer and physicist, established the idea that the Earth moved around the Sun and not the other way around. He is considered the father of modern science. 

• “I hold the sun to be situated motionless in the center of the revolution of the celestial orbs while the earth rotates on its axis and revolves about the sun.” 

17. Henry Ford

Henry Ford was undeniably controversial, but his mark on the automobile and manufacturing worlds cannot be understated. Ford established Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) in 1903 with a goal of making cars more affordable and accessible for middle-class families. Today, the company remains in operation. Ford reminds people that setbacks are only obstacles to overcome: 

• “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” 

16. Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst will be forever remembered as a British political activist who fought for 40 years to give women the right to vote. She gave this quote during her famous “Freedom or Death” speech. 

• “I come to ask you to help win this fight. If we win it, this hardest of fights, then, to be sure, in the future it is going to be made easier for women all over the world to win their fight when their time comes.” 

15. Amelia Earheart

At a time when flight was only starting to become a reality for many, Amelia Earheart changed what the world thought about flying and how it looked at female pilots. She stands as a reminder, particularly to women today, that we can accomplish anything we put our minds towards:

• “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” 

14. Mother Teresa

Helping spark a movement to feed the poor, Mother Teresa lived up to her name as her work spread to over 100 countries, and 4,500 nuns took part in her vision. While today’s world sometimes feels divided, especially across the political spectrum, Mother Teresa stands as a reflection of how powerful collaboration and unity can be: 

• “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” 

13. Thomas A. Edison

The most notable inventor over the last few hundred years, Thomas A. Edison, laid the groundwork for movies, telephones, and electricity. Of course, inventing these all took time — and probably quite a few flops. But Edison never stopped, stating: 

• “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” 

12. Abraham Lincoln

It isn’t easy to think of where the world might be today had Abraham Lincoln not fought to unite the United States. He was a key player in creating a more equitable society by ending slavery and championing racial equality. When people believe they can’t make a difference, or it requires decades to make a difference, Lincoln reminds them that the best time to act is now: 

• “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” 

11. Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, changed humanity’s vision of the stars forever. His accomplishment allowed the U.S. and other countries across the globe to gain a better understanding of our solar system and catalyzed interest in further discovering the complexities of space: 

• “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” 

10. Charles Darwin

Famous for developing the theory of evolution by natural selection, Charles Darwin changed how we view the diversity of life on Earth. His insights provide a stronger understanding of the biological underpinnings of our world. Although the quote below reflects some of that biological knowledge, it also underscores the need to remain adaptable: 

• “It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one most adaptable to change.” 

9. Albert Einstein

One of the world’s most remarkable scientists, Albert Einstein, will be forever remembered for developing the theory of relativity. Even though Einstein was once believed, as a child, to be unintelligent, he never stopped working towards a better future: 

• “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” 

8. Walt Disney

Walt Disney, the man who changed the world of animation and theme parks, will be forever remembered for his mark on the world and some fantastic quotes. Although The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has had its struggles recently, the company’s continued success reflects Disney’s can-do attitude: 

• “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” 

7. John F. Kennedy

One of America’s greatest speaking Presidents and the man responsible for us going to the Moon, John F. Kennedy, was taken from the world too young, but not before giving us some memorable quotes. JFK was known for his commitment to philanthropy and social equity. 

• “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” 

6. Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke to the House of Commons in June 1940 following the Battle of Dunkirk, which left Britain open to a German invasion. 

• “We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grouds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender.” 

5. Franklin D. Roosevelt

The man who led America through some of its darkest times, including the Great Depression and World War II, will be remembered forever. The same can be said for his most famous quote, which explains that our personal fears often hold us back from achieving our goals: 

• “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” 

4. Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs wasn’t a world leader, but his mark on the world cannot be ignored. He is a member of a very small group who help make it possible to read this article online today. Although Jobs passed over a decade ago, his absolutely immersion into his field encourages us to recognize that life is all about doing what you love: 

• “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.” 

3. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Perhaps the most notable civil rights activist in US history, Martin Luther King Jr., left his mark on America by advocating for the rights of people of color. 

• “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” 

2. Nelson Mandela

The former President of South Africa was an anti-apartheid activist, and he was elected in the country’s first democratic election, promising to dismantle apartheid rule. 

• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” 

1. Mahatma Gandhi

An anti-colonial nationalist in India, Gandhi led the nonviolent movement to release India from British law. His greatest quote focused on strength coming from willpower, not physical: 

• “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

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