"The third lesson and tip actually comes from two of my favorite political philosophers: Mao Tse-tung and Mother Theresa - not often coupled with each other, but the two people I turn to most to basically deliver a simple point which is 'you're going to make choices; you're going to challenge; you're going to say why not; you're going to figure out how to do things that have never been done before"
About this Quote
The sly subtext is that politics runs on unlikely coalitions and borrowed legitimacy. Mao signals discipline, mobilization, and the willingness to bulldoze norms in the name of a future vision. Mother Teresa signals compassion, sacrifice, and an aura of unimpeachable intent. Put together, they create a sanitized, bipartisan-adjacent myth of leadership: disrupt the system, but keep your conscience clean. The line “not often coupled” functions like a wink - she knows it’s a weird pairing, and she’s betting the audience will be more impressed by the boldness than alarmed by the implications.
Context matters: Dunn, as an operative and public servant, speaks from a world where “choices” and “challenge” aren’t motivational posters; they’re policy fights, message discipline, and institutional trench warfare. The quote’s real intent is managerial: normalize rule-bending as innovation. “How to do things that have never been done before” is aspirational on the surface, but in political practice it can mean bypassing conventions, hardening strategy, and taking heat. The genius, and the risk, is that it frames power as personal growth.
Quote Details
| Topic | Leadership |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Dunn, Anita. (2026, January 14). The third lesson and tip actually comes from two of my favorite political philosophers: Mao Tse-tung and Mother Theresa - not often coupled with each other, but the two people I turn to most to basically deliver a simple point which is 'you're going to make choices; you're going to challenge; you're going to say why not; you're going to figure out how to do things that have never been done before. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-third-lesson-and-tip-actually-comes-from-two-169908/
Chicago Style
Dunn, Anita. "The third lesson and tip actually comes from two of my favorite political philosophers: Mao Tse-tung and Mother Theresa - not often coupled with each other, but the two people I turn to most to basically deliver a simple point which is 'you're going to make choices; you're going to challenge; you're going to say why not; you're going to figure out how to do things that have never been done before." FixQuotes. January 14, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-third-lesson-and-tip-actually-comes-from-two-169908/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The third lesson and tip actually comes from two of my favorite political philosophers: Mao Tse-tung and Mother Theresa - not often coupled with each other, but the two people I turn to most to basically deliver a simple point which is 'you're going to make choices; you're going to challenge; you're going to say why not; you're going to figure out how to do things that have never been done before." FixQuotes, 14 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-third-lesson-and-tip-actually-comes-from-two-169908/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
