--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our starting point is always wrong…" description: "\"“Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last. If everyone were to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/ana-smiljanic-218815_begin_our-starting-point-is-always-wrong-inste_2555105.jpg" --- # Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning… ![“Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last. If everyone were to begin first with themselves, then there would be peace all around!” quote by Ana Smiljanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/ana-smiljanic-218815_begin_our-starting-point-is-always-wrong-inste_2555105.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/ana-smiljanic-218815_begin_our-starting-point-is-always-wrong-inste_2555105.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/ana-smiljanic-218815_begin_our-starting-point-is-always-wrong-inste_2555105.jpg) > ““Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last. If everyone were to begin first with themselves, then there would be peace all around!”” [Ana Smiljanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-smiljanic/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑change should precede attempts to change others; personal improvement leads to collective peace. **In simple terms:** Change yourself first for peace. Key Takeaway Start with self‑improvement. Themes peace self‑improvement change starting point collective harmony Mood hopeful motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - conflict resolution - leadership training Key Concepts personal growth ethical responsibility social harmony Questions to Reflect On - What habit will you change first? - How does personal peace affect community? A Different Perspective Changing others can be ineffective without inner work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) [Begin Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-peace-1555366/) [Change Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-begin-902447/) [Instead Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-beginning-1555367/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) ## Related quotes > [“Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves,we always want to change others first and ourselves last. 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If you do not give yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-you-establish-serenity-and-happiness-inside-yourself-you-provide/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [“To change the world, a country, an organization, a community, a relationship, begin with the smallest seed of change: begin with yourself. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-burgess/to-change-the-world-a-country-an-organization-a-community-a/) [Gloria Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-burgess/) > [It happens over and over again—a group of people come together, fired up with passion to create change. They begin with huge inspiration and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/it-happens-over-and-over-again-a-group-of-people-come-together-fired/) [Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/) > [“It is true that a man (a silly man) might make change itself his object or ideal. But as an ideal, change itself becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-true-that-a-man-a-silly-man-might-make-change-itself-his-object/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Your circumstances will only change when you begin to question them. Change begins with a question. Revolutions start with a question. Revolutionize your life..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirtha-michelle/your-circumstances-will-only-change-when-you-begin-to-question-them/) [Mirtha Michelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirtha-michelle/) > [If we want to change something, we must begin with understanding. But if we want to love something, we must begin with acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/if-we-want-to-change-something-we-must-begin-with-understanding-but/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [“When are we going to stop being afraid to push for change and begin putting into action the things we have discussed for centuries?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-hill-ms/when-are-we-going-to-stop-being-afraid-to-push-for-change-and-begin/) [Tamara Hill, MS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-hill-ms/) > [Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art - the art of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/resistance-and-change-often-begin-in-art-and-very-often-in-our-art/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Well we can change and begin a new chapter but we can't change the words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisel-garcia/well-we-can-change-and-begin-a-new-chapter-but-we-can-t-change-the/) [Gisel Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisel-garcia/) > [Don't waste your time being upset about something you can't change. Begin again and do it better this time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/don-t-waste-your-time-being-upset-about-something-you-can-t-change/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [The road back from degradation begins with self-awareness - and sometimes, as in 'Phone Booth,' change can begin with a single phone call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-road-back-from-degradation-begins-with-self-awareness-and/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) ## More Begin quotes > [If you wanted to put the world to rights, who should you begin with: yourself or others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/if-you-wanted-to-put-the-world-to-rights-who-should-you-begin-with/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Let the motherfucking games begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/let-the-motherfucking-games-begin/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on-and-go-on-as-you-began-and-let-the-lord-be/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [The world will only begin to have faith in you when you do too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-world-will-only-begin-to-have-faith-in-you-when-you-do-too/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The idea with a collection is sort of to begin with a kind of bang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/the-idea-with-a-collection-is-sort-of-to-begin-with-a-kind-of-bang/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [“Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you high. People who are gentle, humble and able always have a great ending no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/humble-yourself-before-the-lord-and-he-will-lift-you-high-people-who/) [israelmore ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-don-t-know-the-future-i-didn-t-come-here-to-tell-you-how-this-is/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sununu/the-public-should-begin-to-understand-that-there-s-nothing-that-comes/) [John Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sununu/) > [“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beginning-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-look-forward-to-the-day-that-a-lot-of-the-folks-that-you-all-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. I decided, as we drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-d-be-interested-in-any-tips-you-have-for-somebody-starting-out-uh/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. Maybe it's here in the U.S. that we find a healing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fionnula-flanagan/i-m-irish-and-always-will-be-but-america-has-taught-me-so-much-maybe/) [Fionnula Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fionnula-flanagan/) > [Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/begin-where-you-are-read-every-word-every-phrase-every-paragraph-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) [Browse all 1,199 Begin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last. 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